Academy Award-nominated actor Florence Pugh has opened up about the complex role of intimacy coordinators in modern filmmaking, describing her personal experiences as a mixed bag of both positive and negative encounters.
A Necessary Role with Growing Pains
In a candid conversation on documentarian Louis Theroux's podcast, the Dune star affirmed the importance of having a professional on set to ensure sex scenes are safe and consensual for everyone involved. Pugh stated that the coordinator's purpose is not to complicate or create awkwardness, but simply to guarantee that all performers are happy with the content they are creating.
She revealed that the position was not commonplace when she first started her career in the industry. Reflecting on her early days, Pugh, who describes herself as a confident person, recalled past situations where requests from filmmakers felt completely inappropriate. In those moments, she noted, the support of an intimacy coordinator would have been invaluable.
The Spectrum of On-Set Experiences
While Pugh told Theroux she has had many fantastic experiences with intimacy experts who enriched the storytelling process, her history with them has not been uniformly positive.
I've had good ones and bad ones, she said, going into further detail about the contrasting encounters. On one end, she has worked with coordinators who were highly effective. She broke down their successful approach, explaining that the good ones focus on the narrative: finding the story of what it is, what kind of sex is it, how do you touch each other, how long have you been having sex for.
On the other end of the spectrum, Pugh did not hold back in describing a shit example where a coordinator made the situation profoundly uncomfortable. She explained that this individual made things so weird and awkward, and was ultimately unhelpful, seeming to want to be a part of the set in a counterproductive way. Pugh contextualized this by suggesting that it's a job that's still figuring itself out as it becomes a standard part of film productions.
The Ongoing Debate and Industry Evolution
The role of the intimacy coordinator has become a frequent topic of debate as their presence on sets grows more common. Their primary function is to act as an advocate for actors, establishing clear boundaries and choreographing scenes to prevent exploitation and trauma.
Pugh's comments highlight the nuanced reality of this relatively new position. Her testimony underscores that while the institution is crucial for actor welfare and creating a professional environment, its implementation can vary greatly. The industry is evidently still in a phase of refinement, working to standardize best practices for these essential crew members.
By sharing her own good and bad experiences, Florence Pugh adds a significant and respected voice to the conversation, emphasizing the role's fundamental importance while also acknowledging the growing pains associated with its integration into the filmmaking process.
