Latest news with #intimacycoordinator
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Richard Gere on Actors Planning Sex Scenes Without Intimacy Coordinators: ‘In the '80s We Were Comfortable That Way'
In the past 10 years or so, intimacy coordinators have become a go-to role in film sets where love scenes are being filmed. The urgency of having them on set greatly increased in the wake of the #MeToo movement that rocked Hollywood in late 2017. But some who've been working in the industry for quite some time have been skeptical of their utility. Sean Bean, for one, said that he thought intimacy coordinators ruined the 'spontaneity' and 'chemistry' between actors. Now Richard Gere has joined their ranks. In an interview with The Wrap about the Paramount+ spy series 'The Agency,' Gere spoke alongside his fellow actors on the show Michael Fassbender, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Jeffrey Wright. Fassbender and Turner-Smith play lovers, and both actors strongly endorsed the role of their intimacy coordinator on set. More from IndieWire David S. Goyer Says Warner Bros. Execs Were Upset It Takes an Hour to See Christian Bale in the Batsuit in 'Batman Begins' Allison Williams Loves How a Particular 'Girls' Meme Took on New Life with the HBO Max Rebrand Fassbender said, 'A lot of the time, directors won't say what they want you to do and you're left to your own devices. But it's kind of like doing a fight sequence now. It's like, 'OK, are you comfortable with me touching your breast or ass?' Or whatever it is. The guidelines are down and then you can shoot super fast.' To that, Turner-Smith added that intimacy coordinators 'should just be there for [actors], like a stunt coordinator. You would not do an unrehearsed stunt.' The Wrap's interviewer Steve Pond then noted to Gere how different this approach is from when the actor was in a number of steamy movies such as 'An Officer and a Gentleman' and 'American Gigolo.' 'I don't think it would have worked then, to tell you the truth,' Gere said, noting that he's never had Fassbender's experience with directors who give no more direction for sex scenes than 'Off you go, guys.' Fassbender also said that he had never felt comfortable discussing the choreography of sex scenes with his scene partner beforehand, and that having the intermediary of the intimacy coordinator helps. 'See, in the '80s we were comfortable that way,' Gere then said, about discussing the mechanics of a sex scene with the actor you're having the scene with. It's an intriguing moment in the interview, and it speaks greatly to how things have changed on set in the past decade. That said, there are still some rising actors who have elected to go without intimacy coordinators. Mikey Madison caused a stir by refusing a intimacy coordinator for her many sex scenes in 'Anora.' 'I was always comfortable, and I also think because Ani was too,' Madison said last fall to The New York Times. 'To me it was never a thought in my head to be nervous or anything.' Her director, Sean Baker, said that he feels intimacy coordinators should be there on a case-by-case basis. Famously, for 'Anora,' he and his wife Samantha Quan acted out the intimate scenes in question for Madison and her scene partners in the best picture winning film before the cameras started rolling. For Gere's part, he has an echo in Michael Douglas, who has said he thinks intimacy coordinators on set are another way to 'take control away from filmmakers.' Meanwhile, Kim Basinger said, 'I can't imagine having somebody come up to me and say, 'Do you mind if they put their hand here?'' And director Mia Hansen-Love suggested intimacy coordinators are 'virtue police.' On the other hand, Michelle Williams found the experience of working with one to be 'extremely worthwhile.' Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie Nicolas Winding Refn's Favorite Films: 37 Movies the Director Wants You to See
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dakota Johnson Speaks Out About Past Sex Scenes That 'Did Not Feel Good'
Dakota Johnson has revealed how working with an intimacy coordinator on her new film made for a refreshing change. The Madame Web star is currently promoting her much-hyped new rom-com Materialists, which is in cinemas now in the US, but on this side of the Atlantic, we still have to wait a few more months for it. Speaking to Amy Poehler on her podcast Good Hang, Dakota spoke about how Materialists marked the first time she ever worked with an intimacy coordinator on set to help choreograph sex scenes. 'She was really great,' the Bafta nominee enthused. 'It was so cool because I'm so used to – you know, it's a sex scene. It's not sexy. It doesn't feel good.' Dakota also pointed out there were 'no intimacy coordinators' when she and Jamie Dornan were shooting their sex scenes for the Fifty Shades trilogy, which told the story of a young couple embroiled in a BDSM-centric relationship. Intimacy coordinators were widely introduced on the sets of films and TV shows in the wake of the Me Too movement, intended to help actors feel more comfortable and in control while filming more intimate scenes. Since they became a prominent part of filmmaking, they've sparked a range of interesting takes from different prolific actors. The stars of shows like Bridgerton, I May Destroy You, Sex Education and the Game Of Thrones spin-off House Of The Dragon have spoken favourably about working with intimacy coordinators. Kate Winslet has admitted she wishes they had been prevalent in the early years of her career, while Emma Thompson has also spoken out in support of them. However, Gwyneth Paltrow said she felt the presence of intimacy coordinators had the potential to be 'stifling', while both Toni Collette and recent Oscar winner Mikey Madison turned down the offer to work with an intimacy coordinator on projects in the last few years. This Is How Dakota Johnson Really Feels About Madame Web A Year Later Dakota Johnson Soldiers On After Talk Show Wardrobe Malfunction In The Most Dakota Johnson Way Possible Dakota Johnson Opens Up About Why Appearing In The Office Was The 'Worst Experience' Of Her Life
Daily Mail
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Rivals author Jilly Cooper weighs in on intimacy coordinators after Danny Dyer says new series has so many sex scenes it 'hired every coach in the UK'
Rivals author Jilly Cooper has weighed in on intimacy coordinators being used for the Disney+ show following Danny Dyer 's recent comments. The actor said there is so much bonking in Rivals 2 – which is currently filming - that they have hired every intimacy coach in the UK. But Jilly - who wrote the 1988 novel - is bemused by the growth of the on-set sex-scene coach. She told The Times: 'In my day when people were acting they just used to jump on each other and roll around without having anyone telling them what to do,' 'I suppose the world's changed, hasn't it?' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Had she been an actress rather than author, Jilly said she would not have been comfortable with having an intimacy co-ordinator choreographing her sex scenes. She added: 'I'd be very embarrassed. I wouldn't like it myself - but then no one has any fun any more, do they?' Her comments come after Danny says there is so much bonking in Rivals 2 – which is currently filming - that they have hired every intimacy coach in the UK. Dyer, who plays Freddie Jones in the show, which also stars David Tennant, Emily Attack and Alex Hassell, said: 'We are doing 12 episodes of Rivals and we are filming until March next year. 'It is brilliant but it is a mad thing to do a sex scene. 'If you think about it you are legally allowed to tongue someone else. It is part of your job. Depending on your partner. It is OK if you fancy it, I am not going to lie.' He added: 'On Rivals there are a lot of intimacy coaches. I think we used every intimacy coach in the land.' In the smash hit Disney + show, based on the novel by Jilly, Dyer played self-made businessman Freddie Jones who goes into business with Rupert Campbell-Black, played by Alex Hassell and Declan O'Hara played by Aidan Turner. In the show Jones falls in love with romance author Lizzie Vereker, played by actress Katherine Parkinson. The initial run was eight episodes but Disney + have asked for more this time around. Dyer's performance as Jones has been hailed as bringing heart to the frothy, pulpy show, which has led to a reassessment of him as an actor, following his long-running stint in EastEnders. He was awarded a Bafta last month for his performance in Mr Bigstuff. He told Esquire magazine: 'People saw me in a different light[in Rivals], and it came out just after Mr. Bigstuff, which, for once, shows a bit of versatility, because Lee is so different to Freddie. 'I've made a lot mistakes over the years. I've said yes to a lot of jobs I probably shouldn't have, probably because I was driven by the dollar – I had bills to pay and kids in private schools. 'Now, I'm at a stage where I have loads of offers that I've got the power to say no to. I think I'll be defined by what I say no to, and it's really exciting for me.' On stage at the Baftas where he won the award to Best Male Performance in a Comedy he said: 'What a touch! Comedy performance. I thought my acting was so bad it was funny. I want to thank Sky for giving our show a shot. F***ing hell, I'm choked up. 'I got to dedicate this to (Mr Bigstuff writer) Ryan Sampson. One of the greatest things to come out of Rotherham. Which is not saying much. 'But one of the best actors this country's ever produced, I'm telling you. Never done the same thing twice. Which is not something I can say. He wrote this part for me, so you know... I'm getting choked up again, f**k me.'
Times
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Jilly Cooper bemused by intimacy coaches on the set of Rivals
It is known for bringing to screen the sexual excesses of the Eighties, but behind the scenes Rivals has embraced the modern trend for intimacy co-ordinators. The television series is based on the 1988 novel of the same name by Dame Jilly Cooper, 88, who is somewhat bemused by the growth of the on-set sex-scene coach. 'In my day when people were acting they just used to jump on each other and roll around without having anyone telling them what to do', she told The Times, adding: 'I suppose the world's changed, hasn't it?' Had she been an actress, Cooper said, she would not have been comfortable with having an intimacy co-ordinator choreographing her sex scenes. 'I'd be very embarrassed,' she said. 'I wouldn't like it myself — but then no one has any fun any more, do they?' Cooper's view puts her in line with established actresses including Kim Basinger, 71, and Gwyneth Paltrow, 52. In March, Paltrow said she told an on-set intimacy co-ordinator to 'step a little bit back' when filming sex scenes with Timothée Chalamet during filming of Marty Supreme, a film about a ping pong protégé. But others, including Emma Thompson, 66, and Rachel Zegler, 24, have praised them for the reassuring environment that they help to foster on set. Cooper made the comments after Danny Dyer, who will play Freddie Jones again in the second series of Rivals, said that producers had 'used every intimacy coach in the land'. Dyer, 47, said that it was a 'mad thing' to do a sex scene — he took part in several in the first series, which aired in October, including one outside with Katherine Parkinson, who plays the wife of a neighbour. 'You are legally allowed to tongue someone else. It is part of your job. Depending on your partner, it is OK if you fancy it,' Dyer told the Daily Mail. 'On Rivals there are a lot of intimacy coaches. I think we used every one in the land.' Fellow Rivals actor Aidan Turner, 41, said that there had been a pair of intimacy co-ordinators employed during the filming of the first series in 2023. 'We have so much sex on our show, we have to have two intimacy coaches. Two!' he told The Times. 'I've never wanted a season two of anything more in my life.' Despite Dyer's claim, the number of coaches employed is not thought to have increased hugely for the second series, which is expected to air on Disney+ in 2026. Filming began in May. • How to improve intimacy in your marriage — by the Sex Education coach Cooper had another theory for the growing popularity of intimacy co-ordinators: young people no longer know what they are doing. 'Perhaps the problem is that everyone is doing it less and are less practised because they're all jogging and doing lots of exercise instead,' she said.
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Jane Fonda weighs in on intimacy coordinator debate after years of 'hard' sex scenes in her early career
Jane Fonda has weighed in on the use of intimacy coordinators in filmmaking and the Oscar winner is giving the practice a big thumbs up. Fonda, 87, who stunned during the closing ceremonies at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, opened up about the topic in an interview with Women's Wear Daily. 'Every time you begin a movie, you have training. What to do if there's a problem,' she explained about the way the new system implemented post #MeToo. 'That never happened,' the Barbarella actress said of her days on the set. 'I wish that we had them when I was doing sex scenes because it's hard,' the Klute actress explained. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'You want me to say to a guy you're supposed to look like you're in love with and you say, "But please don't uncover my breast on the left side." You know, you don't do that.' In the 2022 documentary Body Parts, Fonda revealed her compliance in taking on roles that required her to be physically vulnerable. 'I was at a place in my life where if you were asked to do something, especially by a man, you did it,' she said in the Kristy Guevara-Flanagan directed film. Fonda is the latest actress to weigh in on the intimacy coordinator debate, which has taken over Hollywood amid the ongoing legal battle between It Ends With Us stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni over claims of sexual harassment. Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan, 38, who shared a very steamy sex scene with co-star Luke Newton in season three of the Netflix hit, said last year that she was grateful to have a coordinator available. '[We had] an amazing intimacy coordinator, Lizzy Talbot, who was there and she treats it like a stunt,' the actress to This Morning in the U.K. in March 2024. She and her co-star Luke Thompson 'had a lot of say in what we wanted to do as well, which was great... Luke and I actually … had ideas about how we wanted things to play out, which was great because we really felt like we were in control,' she explained of the experience. Oscar winner Kate Winslet, 49, told The New York Times last year that she would have 'benefited' from an onset intimacy coordinator. 'I would have benefited from an intimacy coordinator every single time I had to do a love scene or be partially naked or even a kissing scene,' she said. 'It would have been nice to have had someone in my corner, because I always had to stand up for myself.' Winslet explained that young actors and actresses are often 'afraid' to speak up for themselves. 'When you're young, you're so afraid of pissing people off or coming across as rude or pathetic because you might need those things,' she shared. So learning to have a voice for oneself in those environments was very, very hard.' Two-time Oscar winner Emma Stone also remarked on the use on intimacy coordinators while while previously talking to NPR about her X-rated role in Poor Things. 'I don't think having an intimacy coordinator is even a choice anymore. I think in the past five years, the industry has changed a lot for the better,' the 36-year-old actress said. She sees intimacy coordinators as a 'safety net' on set. Oscar winner Kate Winslet told the NYT 'I would have benefited from an intimacy coordinator every single time I had to do a love scene or be partially naked or even a kissing scene'; seen in 2024 'Having [coordinator Elle McAlpine] there felt like having both a safety net and a choreographer and a handhold,' Stone concluded. Outlander star Sam Heughan, 45, asked for the execs behind the hit series to hire an intimacy coordinator for the filming of season six in 2022. He said he and co-star Caitríona Balfe 'were thrown in the deep end and had to learn through the experience,' when the show first began production in 2014. With the addition of new characters in season six, he said it was important 'to help younger actors with less experience.'
