Florence Pugh said “sex scenes are awkward”. What can we learn from the larger conversation?
Actors on Intimacy Coordinators
Florence Pugh explains her experiences with intimacy coordinators, both positive and negative, to Louis Theroux:
Meanwhile, Jennifer Lawrence gives an example of when – and why – she decided an intimacy coordinator wasn’t needed on a particular film (from 16:00, via Las Culturistas):
Mikey Madison explained to Pamela Anderson why she opted against an intimacy coordinator for her Oscar-winning work on Anora (2024) – and these comments made headlines (clipped from the full conversation, via Variety):
Mikey Madison reveals why she decided not to have an intimacy coordinator while shooting #Anora. #ActorsOnActors https://t.co/0VAXCVmN3R pic.twitter.com/Bi3Z9JQq12
— Variety (@Variety) December 17, 2024
What is an Intimacy Coordinator?
Part supervisor, part safety inspector, part choreographer – we compiled a range of looks at the role, beginning with the question, What does an intimacy coordinator do? (via ABC Arts):
What is an Intimacy Coordinator? (via University of Rochester):
More on the role, its aims, and its responsibilities (via CBC):
Jessica Steinrock gives an insider’s view of the daily work of an intimacy coordinator:
The Back Focus looks at the impact of intimacy coordinators on the way intimate scenes are filmed – and even discussed:
IndieWire addresses myths and misconceptions about intimacy coordinators:
Further Viewing
Some of the discourse surrounding sex in movies suggests a dissonance between the emphasis on more sculpted physiques and the absence of portrayals of physical intimacy, as RS Benedict writes:
More recent cultural phenomena like Heated Rivalry (2025) suggest the tide is turning back toward an appetite for explicit portrayals of sex on screen:
In some cases, it’s possible to create sexual tension and explicitly discuss eroticism without visually portraying sex at all: