Shailene Woodley's parents ''loved'' her sex scene in her new movie.

The 22-year-old actress had been concerned that she would feel awkward shooting an intimate moment with Thomas Jane, 45, in 'White Bird in a Blizzard' but she ''felt great'' baring her body and insisted she needed to help to emphasise her assets.

She said: ''It's crazy. And sort of wrong. But I felt great doing it. I was not fully robed. And our bodies had no make-up. Who needs make-up? I'm only 22. My boobs are great. They don't need any help. My parents saw the film. I thought it might be awkward, but they both loved it.''

Shailene also insisted she would never say ''ugly'' things about other women and thinks it is important to ''help'' other females get along in life.

She told the New York Post newspaper's Page Six column: ''Women should be there for other women. It's such cruelty and competition out there. Women must help other women. Not say those ugly things about the others just out of their insecurity. I don't believe in that.''

And the 'Divergent' star also explained the origins of her unusual name.

She said: ''My mother saw 'Shai' on a license plate, loved it, and tried figuring how to adapt it. Shailo, Shailee, Shailey, Shailette. So it became Shailene.''