What you need to know about Michael Ealy's disgusting 'Perfect Guy' toothbrush sucking scene

Warning: The Perfect Guy spoiler alert ahead and descriptions not suitable for people who respect oral hygiene.

Looks like movie-goers are lapping up Michael Ealy's over-the-top performance as the psycho-boyfriend-from-hell in The Perfect Guy, the number one movie in the country this weekend.

This comes despite, or maybe because of, some disgusting scenes which has Ealy breaking into his ex-girlfriend Leah's house (played by Sanaa Lathan).

He goes through her stuff, he super-creepily hides under her bed as she makes love with her boyfriend (played by Morris Chestnut). We see that in the trailer.



When alone, he actually kiss/licks Leah's wineglass which has her lipstick on it. Gross.

But the ultimate is the scene where he takes her toothbrush from the bathroom in gloved hands, and then shoves the brush into his mouth with a look of ecstasy. So bad it's really good. It could do to toothbrushes what Glenn Close did to bunnies in Fatal Attraction.

Director David M. Rosenthal says the "twisted brainchild" of someone's imagination was in the script, but Ealy added a particular zeal to the scene.
"It's just so creepy in concept. But the way Michael does it is particularly creepy. It's like a lollipop, the way he puts it in there. Everytime I see it in front of an audience they guffaw at that moment and make a lot of noise. It's anyone's worst nightmare."
Rosenthal says that on set, the germ-conscious Ealy was even a little freaked out (just as he was freaked out hiding under Leah's bed).
"What's funny is that Michael himself is a little bit of a germa-phobe. He was like 'No one touch this toothbrush. I'm going to put it in my mouth.' It was a fresh toothbrush every take."
But Ealy relished shooting it.
"He loved it.  He embraced. And he had such a good time doing it. There's something very tongue-and-cheek about the whole scene...Excuse the pun. Sorry, that was terrible."
Yes, that was terrible. The scene and the joke. But all is apparently forgiven as the happy screen couple are riding a hit.