The Boys’ Star Emma Elle Paterson Reveals What It Was Really Like to Film That Butt-Sniffing Scene

Emma Elle Paterson realized that becoming part of The Boys was going to force her out of her comfort zone.

In an exclusive interview with Where Is The Buzz, Paterson explained how she played the character of Sheline, which is the kitten lover from Teenage Kix, during the fifth and last season of Amazon Prime Video’s series.

The actress got involved in one of the most memorable scenes on the show, where she performs a lengthy animal-like butt sniff with Zach McGowan in Season 5, Episode 7.

“It was a crazy moment,” Paterson said. “I remember doing first introductions in Michaella Starr’s office when Erik Kripke walked in. I was a bit nervous about meeting them considering they’re the creators and producers of one of the biggest shows in the world.”

Kripke, the series’ creator and showrunner, wasted no time making his intentions clear. “Pretty much immediately after he walked in, he said, ‘Look, we’re going to be doing some crazy shit with your character. Cats do gross things and we’re going to lean into that,'” she said. “He told me about the litter box, the cleaning, the sniffing. We broke the ice so quickly I completely forgot I was supposed to be anxious. I was just excited to perform such a memorable moment on this crazy show.”

Paterson said Kripke’s approach set the tone for the entire experience. “Kripke has a special way of making you feel excited to push boundaries and he gives you the tools to do it,” she said.

When it came time to film the sequence, Paterson said intimacy coordinator Casey Hudecki helped put both her and McGowan fully at ease. “Zach is so much fun and we both just wanted to make it as gross and absurd as possible,” she said. “It was really silly and fun.”

Since the season aired, a vocal contingent of The Boys fan base has argued that Sheline was underutilized, suggesting the character had narrative potential that went unexplored. Paterson told Where Is The Buzz the response has been humbling.

“That’s super flattering,” she said. “It was a bit daunting jumping into this world, especially because fans have certain expectations for the Teenage Kix and I wanted to live up to them.”

She praised her castmates Dylan Gage, who plays Jetstreak, and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, who portrays Countess Crow, the other members of the Teenage Kix trio. “Dylan and Maitreyi were wonderful scene partners and we had the best time together,” she said. “The highlight for me was the contentious dynamic between us and it was fun acting like bratty siblings to each other.”

Asked what scene she would have written for Sheline given the opportunity, Paterson did not hesitate. “If I had to add one scene, I think it would have been fun to explore more of our living situation in the content house, like me eating Countess’ crows or something,” she said.

The Boys concluded its run this season after five seasons as one of television’s most provocative and commercially successful superhero properties. Paterson gave the finale a perfect score when speaking with Where Is The Buzz.

“I really enjoyed the ending, 10 out of 10,” she said. “It was bittersweet cause it’s over, but a satisfying conclusion nonetheless. Deep got what he deserved, sorry not sorry, Homelander died in such a brutal way, and Kimiko and Frenchie’s love story had me sobbing the whole time.”

Her single favorite moment, however, belonged to the show’s original couple. “If I had to pick a favorite moment, it would be Hughie and Annie together in front of their shop,” she said. “I’m a sucker for a full-circle moment and I thought that was a special way to remind us all how this whole journey started.”

Watch The Boys season 5 on Prime Video here.