BBC Mary Queen of Scots: Saoirse Ronan's actor boyfriend she met when they played husband and wife

The 2018 historical epic Mary Queen of Scots comes to our TV screens tonight (January 2) and stars Oscar-nominated Saoirse Ronan in the title role.

The film follows the Scottish Queen,as she returns home to Scotland to rule her home country, but faces threats from all sides, including from her own cousin, Elizabeth I of England played by Margot Robbie.

The film holds special resonance for Saoirse, 27, as it was on the set that she met her current boyfriend, actor Jack Lowden, 30.

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In the film, the couple actually played a married couple.

Jack played the part of Henry Stuart, otherwise known as Lord Darnley. Lord Darnley was Mary's second husband and is her principal love interest in the film.

And the pair's roles meant they got very close to each other on set, including in one famous sex scene, reports the MirrorOnline.

The scene in which Darnley pleasures Mary with oral sex to avoid her getting pregnant before they wed, is noticeable for the camera providing a close-up of Ronan's face as she portrays her character's ecstasy.

Saoirse Ronan herself spoke of how comfortable the pair were during the sex scene together, when speaking to Metro.

"We choreographed the whole thing so it felt like a dance," she said.

"Jack and I are very comfortable with each other. We looked after each other.

"I don’t think he’d ever done anything like that before either. It was new territory for both of us."

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