Sherlock star Martin Freeman and Wednesday’s Jenna Ortega have teamed up for erotic thriller Miller’s Girl – which features a racy age-gap romance between its characters

Martin Freeman and Jenna Ortega are at the centre of an age gap scandal after starring together in new erotic thriller Miller’s Girl.

The Sherlock actor, 52, joins Wednesday actress Jenna, 21, in the black comedy drama. Jenna will be playing an 18-year-old student named Cairo Sweet in the film, while Freeman plays her teacher Jonathan Miller. The pair soon embark on an inappropriate romance that includes a “gross” romp scene.

It all starts when Cairo writes a sex story during a creative writing assignment for class, but things soon escalate. In snaps released from the film, Martin can be seen with his arms around Jenna and their lips almost touching.

But fans on social media aren’t impressed by the new film, with one X user writing: “I think I am finally done watching these age gap movies. They are all gross, and I am tired of it. No amount of Jenna Ortega or Martin Freeman could save this one for me.”

Fans are disgusted by the age gap romance in Miller’s Girl (Image: Lionsgate)
Another echoed: “That Jenna Ortega Martin Freeman clip might be the worst thing I’ve ever seen.” While a third disgusted viewer said: “When Martin Freeman was in his 40s Jenna Ortega was 10 years old.”

In one clip, Jenna’s character is seen assuming a doggy-style position in bed with her teacher, and in another she’s spotted snogging a girl. Meanwhile, The Hobbit star Freeman’s character is seen pleasuring himself to Cairo’s story; he orders her to read pages from her story as he bends her over the bed and touches her.

The official synopsis from Lionsgate reads: “As lines blur and their lives intertwine, professor and protégé must confront their darkest selves while straining to preserve their individual sense of purpose and the things they hold most dear.”

Martin, 52, stars alongside 21-year-old Jenna (Image: Getty Images for Lionsgate)
It’s directed by Hollywood newcomer Jade Halley Bartlett, who was admittedly “scared” by the risks she was taking in the movie. She revealed: “I remember being so taken aback by Cairo because what I have experienced in my career and I think a lot of young girls can say the same.

“I feel like teenage girls are often written in the same bratty, no nonsense manner but Cairo is so intelligent and wise beyond her years that I was excited to be able to explore. The topic of the film is a little bit riskier. It is a scary thing to approach but obviously as an artist you want to take risks and explore what it could be.”

It’s hardly the first time Ortega has stripped off for a role. For 2022 horror X, she played Lorraine, accompanying her partner to a porn shoot and eventually becoming involved in filming the explicit videos herself.

Jenna is playing 18-year-old student Cairo (Image: Zac Popik/Lionsgate)
Speaking about going from a Disney child star to acting in a horror movie about pornography, Jenna explained: “A lot of times being a child actor, especially a Latina, they’re hiring to play the daughter of someone or the younger version of someone and those are typically white actresses.

“I remember just being really discouraged at a point in time. But after doing projects like You on Netflix and things like that where I think people saw me in an older light or in a different light, I started to get more opportunities.”