From the blistering horniness of “Wuthering Heights” to the BDSM antics of “Pillion” and the cultural phenomena of “Heated Rivalry” and “Bridgerton,” 2026 has graced us with a lot of sex scenes. It has also put a greater spotlight on one of the newest roles credited in our favorite shows and films: the intimacy coordinator. That also comes with all kinds of creative people (well, mainly directors and actors) commenting on whether they like having them on set.
IndieWire spoke directly with intimacy coordinators about their work, since — just like boom ops and gaffers — much of their on-set work is meant to be invisible. Still, myths and misconceptions are persistent. Let’s break them down to help understand what an intimacy coordinator actually does.
Myth #1: Intimacy Coordination Is a New Phenomenon
Intimacy coordinators have been around longer than they’ve been credited, or even before the credit existed. The sex scenes in the 1996 erotic crime thriller “Bound” were choreographed by feminist writer and sex educator Susie Bright, two decades before the “intimacy coordinator” title existed, but the #MeToo movement spurred the role’s prominence. SAG-AFTRA and ACTRA have since published nudity guidelines, and Bectu’s Intimacy Coordinator Registry was established in the UK and Ireland, with defined training and experience levels.
Though the choreography of sex scenes has drawn fascination, it’s also where there are deep misunderstandings about the role.
“There’s a myth that we’re there to say, ‘This is exactly what’s going to happen from every hand to shoulder moment, and nothing may deviate,’” Robbie Taylor Hunt, whose credits include “Pillion” and “Red, White and Royal Blue,” said.
Though that may be the case in some productions, Taylor Hunt said, “In my experience, you’re creating a container in which it’s clear where touch is going to happen and where it’s not. If everyone involved wants there to be freedom within a container of choreography, I will put things in place so that you can explore, knowing that it’s not going to cross a line.”
To that point, “Heated Rivalry” intimacy coordinator Chala Hunter said that establishing specificities allows actors to tell the story of the scene. She gives the example: “I could say ‘kissing with an open mouth but no tongue.’ Then it’s up to the actors to imbue that with all of their spirit, character interpretation, and physical impulse.”
Myth #2: Intimacy Coordinators Are There to Simulate Sex
An intimacy coordinator’s job is more than overseeing a scene of simulated sex. Ideally, the process begins long before anyone steps on set.
For “Heated Rivalry,” a show where sex is how two ice hockey players communicate in their enemies-to-lovers arc, Hunter’s first port of call was a full breakdown of every intimate scene in the scripts.
“Connor [Storrie], Hudson [Williams], and I spoke for hours. We went through all of the actions, scene by scene, in the entire series,” Hunter said. “I talked through their consent levels, boundaries, and their feelings about the scenes in immense detail.”
That information also translates into the extensive paperwork required for the job: a nudity rider (an agreement of the actor’s consent submitted to performers at least 48 hours in advance), facilitating confidential discussions with cast and crew, sourcing modesty garments, and addressing extensive closed or sensitive set protocols.
As you would imagine, Hunter has a watchful eye on intimate scenes; however, she’s also looking at the moment within the show’s wider arc.
“I had a whole spreadsheet system tracking what episode we’re in and what came before,” Hunter said. She was present to serve as a reminder of the tension and desire that would linger from preceding moments, especially important when shooting non-chronologically; the first intimate scene they shot concluded Episode 2.
“I was there to track these characters’ journey and their relationship with each other,” Hunter said. “That’s how intimately, no pun intended, I approach the work.”
Not unless you think there’s nothing sexier than striving for realistic portrayals, perhaps. Intimacy coordinators help navigate between the push-pull of reality and tone, which inform the choreography of an intimate moment. For instance, Taylor Hunt crafted explicit dom-sub sex scenes in “Pillion” as well as the swooning romantic beats of “Red, White and Royal Blue.”
“The creative choreography work becomes very different, whether we’re doing something more frank or we’re more interested in feeling romantic and sexual,” Taylor Hunt said.
Hunter echoed that sentiment, noting the tone of intimacy (whether graphic or doting) can be subtly crafted: “How bodies move, unconscious gestures or mannerisms, and ways of breathing communicate how we’re feeling about another person or a moment in time.”
The parameters of intimacy coordination are much broader than just sexual. “Intimate content” can be any bodily function, from defecation and urination to childbirth and breastfeeding. There are also calls for familial intimacy to be considered, Waldrop said, with child actors being picked up and kissed or cuddled by adult actors.
Myth #3: Intimacy Coordinators Are Hired to Encourage Vulnerability
One may assume that nudity goes hand in hand with eroticism for intimacy coordinators, but that wasn’t the case for “Wuthering Heights” intimacy coordinator Miriam Lucia.
“Nudity is almost simpler; it’s clear,” Lucia said of Emerald Fennell’s titillating take on Emily Brontë’s novel. “When it comes to a scene where there is no nudity, you’ve got to make sure it’s clear what’s going on; it’s all about the tension.”
Instead of explicit nudity, the film rests on stars Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi to deliver the heady energy. Despite them being established actors, Lucia said, “I had the same conversations that I would have with somebody less experienced.” The dialogue can even be reciprocal, Lucia said, with actors contributing suggestions about movement or camera angles.
Adelaide Waldrop, whose credits include “Mickey 17,” “Hedda,” and “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy,” also highlights the importance of arriving at the production and setting aside preconceived notions about a performer.
Waldrop said, “You can have the most ripped heartthrob-type male actor who feels incredibly vulnerable taking his top off because of the expectations of male actors’ physiques, it’s sometimes just as vulnerable as a female presenting actor showing full nudity of her breasts.”
While intimate scenes can clearly be vulnerable, the work of an intimacy coordinator is not a substitute for a mental health coordinator or psychologist. Though intimacy coordinators are often mental health first aid trained, they are not subsequently mental health professionals.
Myth #4: Intimacy Coordinators Work in a Vacuum
While much of the dialogue around intimacy coordinators is actor-facing, it’s also interdepartmental. Lucia said that before the role, producers, makeup, and costume filled the gap. “There’d be a naked actor on set, and costume would rush in with a robe and then be told to get out of the way.”
Now, there are explicit frameworks in place about who, when, and how interactions occur on a closed set for shooting nudity. Though cross-department interactions remain paramount. Waldrop offered the example of intimacy coordination and costume; if an actor is in underwear, there are questions about garments: “Is the bra lacy or padded? Can we see through the bra? It’s about knowing what to look for in a script and how to liaise with other departments about that.”
Myth #5: Intimacy Coordinators Are Only Needed for Romance and Dramas
Romance and drama are the obvious genre vehicles for an intimacy coordinator’s involvement, but the role is also prevalent in sci-fi, where body doubles and prosthetics are used. In Bong Joon Ho’s “Mickey 17,” two Mickey clones (Robert Pattinson) exist simultaneously after an error in reprinting his consciousness. Though the role of Mickey is Pattinson’s, Waldrop also worked closely with Pattinson’s acting double, Sam Woodhams.
“You have the agency of two performers, but they have to be doing the same thing, so you’re negotiating consent levels between both of them to play both parts,” Waldrop said.
Like how a body double represents the actor’s body in the audience’s mind, the same is true for prosthetics, and so they must be treated with care.
“There’s a lot of paperwork on safeguarding how prosthetics are shot and making sure the actors are aware of it,” Waldrop said. “You want to ensure no one’s taking a selfie with what is essentially an actor’s nude likeness that they don’t have physical control over.” These elements are also included in a performer’s nudity rider, Waldrop said, because an actor’s autonomy over their likeness is “increasingly important in the age of 3D scanning and AI.”
Misconception: Intimacy Coordinators Don’t Advocate for Actors and Crew
A high level of sensitivity and emotional intelligence is necessary for the intimacy coordinator role to ensure they are a vocal advocate for both the cast and crew.
That is proved time and time again, as Lucia recalled: “I have been in a situation where I did pick up on something that I felt was alarming. [I checked in] with that person, and they were not OK, they told me why, and I immediately relayed that to the director, who said, ‘It’s cut, we’re not doing it.’ You always have to have your antenna out.”
Even with a growing awareness of the role, not everyone is on board with intimacy coordinators becoming ingrained in production. “You’re always going to get some actors who’ve been around for a long time making comments,” Lucia said.
However, it looks like intimacy coordinators are here to stay. “Every time I do my job, I have to demonstrate and prove to people why it exists,” Waldrop said. “That’s challenging, and it’s a privilege; it means you can demonstrate the value of intimacy coordination.”
