A sex scene between BEN FOSTER and Brit SAMANTHA MORTON was scrapped from new movie THE MESSENGER - because U.S. Army officials didn’t approve of the idea of soldiers sleeping with fallen comrades’ wives.

X-Men: The Last Stand star Foster plays a reluctant war hero assigned the job of alerting the next of kin their loved ones have died in combat. His character falls for the widow of one dead soldier.

Writer/director Oren Moverman’s script called for the odd couple to make love, but Army chiefs who were allowed to consult on the movie insisted a sex scene would break a leading military taboo.

Foster tells WENN, “We had full support of the army which was remarkable. They don’t want Hollywood coming in and making a Hollywood version. They don’t want to be misrepresented as it is against regulations to be with someone you notify.

“It wasn’t necessary for the story for our characters to seal the deal in bed, so it worked on another level in recognising each other’s trauma and trying to get back to life. How do we get back to life after losing someone that we love? We all get notified when someone we love dies and we have to find out a way to get up in the morning and pick ourselves up off the floor, take the garbage out and be a human being again.”

And Foster insists he’s not upset that so many people are discussing the sex scene that never was, rather than the serious message behind the gritty film.

He adds, “It doesn’t bother me; people are gonna be interested in what they’re gonna be interested in, and sex is one of those things… I’m happy people are talking about it (movie) at all.”

Foster’s role as Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery is among the early contenders for a Best Actor Oscar.