According to Insider , Hollywood stars are used to being asked to act in sex scenes. However, the process of performing sensitive scenes will become difficult if the actors are overstimulated on set.
David Thackeray, an intimacy coordinator who has worked for Netflix, Warner Bros., Apple TV, BBC and HBO, said that because some actors were so immersed in their characters, they lost control of their minds and emotions. As a result, some scenes, although steamy, still did not meet the director’s requirements.
Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan have many 18+ scenes in the 50 Shades series . Photo: Glamour .
“The key to handling over-excitement is professionalism. We will pause the scene if the actors’ actions deviate from the original intention or their costumes are sketchy and unedited for the show,” Thackeray shared.
Thackeray said that to avoid actors mistaking the crew for being disrespectful when stopping the set, he and other sex scene coordinators would have friendly conversations with them to normalize the issue.
In industry jargon, this is called “waiting time.” “Just give us five minutes and we’ll have the actors back in shape,” Thackeray said.
In addition to helping the stars, the coordinator is also responsible for informing the crew about the possibility of a scene being too tense that an actor might feel uncomfortable with.
An intimate scene from The Crown – the Netflix series that has won 21 Primetime Emmy Awards. Photo: Insider.
Having worked on the sets of I May Destroy You and Normal People , coordinator Ita O’Brien said: “Some actors refused because they were uncomfortable after watching the bed scene simulation. However, they gradually changed their minds when they saw the coordinator’s dedication. The development of the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements also made actors feel more secure when taking on sensitive scenes.”
The Hollywood Reporter reports that the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) has proposed a Nudity Riders agreement, a list of rules that detail what scenes are shown, how long they are shown, and what the actor agrees to do. The document would require the consent of the actor, his agent, and the production.
