The film and TV industry is ever changing, and in the last few years we've seen the rise of a new crew member: intimacy coordinators. This individual is there to methodically choreograph love scenes, and ensure that everyone involved is comfortable. But Oscar nominated actress Florence Pugh recently honest about the good and that bad that's come as a result of this new addition to film crews.
While fans are counting down the days for Pugh to return as Yelena in upcoming Marvel movies, she's works on a ton of smaller, non-superhero projects. In those films she's worked with intimacy coordinators for love scenes, to various levels of success. While appearing on The Louis Theroux Podcast, she spoke to how good intimacy coordinators have helped her love scenes, offering:
Everybody’s just kind of working away to chip away at the scene. And I think when I worked with a fantastic coordinator, I was like, ‘Oh, this is what I’ve been missing, understanding the dance of intimacy as opposed to just shooting a sex scene.' There are good ones and bad ones, and it’s through the good ones that I have learned how effective it can really be.
That's a solid point. on top of making sure that sex scenes are methodically choreographed so that the cast feels secure and comfortable, it sounds like good intimacy coordinators have also positively contributed to her overall storytelling. At least, when things are going right.
As Florence Pugh recalled in the same podcast, she shot the majority of her love scenes prior to intimacy coordinators being introduced to film sets. And there are times she could have used one, as she put it:
I did a lot of my sex scenes before that was even a job, and I think I’m quite confident and quite happy in my skin, and I’ve always been able to make sure that I’m heard. That being said … there are plenty of things that I remember where it was just completely inappropriate to have asked me to do that, to have directed me in that way.
Since this job's inception, some actors actually don't love their inclusion in the process. For example, Shailene Woodley doesn't like having intimacy coordinators. What's more, Oscar winner Mikey Madison didn't want one on set for Anora. So it's an ongoing situation within the industry.
Florence Pugh also spoke about a less than positive experience she had with one of these professionals, offering:
But my view is changing about it as well, because I’m now having fantastic experiences with intimacy coordinators. However, that being said, I’ve also had a shit example where someone just made it so weird and so awkward and really wasn’t helpful and kind of was just like wanting to be a part of the set in a way that wasn’t helpful. I think it’s a job that’s still figuring itself out.
While there's a learning curve involved, it does sound like intimacy coordinators can be a helpful member of film crews. Pugh could have used one when she was younger, even if she's had a bad experience or two. We'll just have to wait and see how the industry continues to adapt to these new standards.
Florence Pugh has some thrilling projects coming down the line, including Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three, which are both set to arrive as part of the 2026 movie release list. Since they're genre projects I assume there were no love scenes in these blockbusters, but we'll just have to and see.
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