‘Sex Education’ and ‘Heartstopper’ intimacy coordinator responds to criticisms of the role
nme.comSex Education and Heartstopper has responded to criticisms about the role they play on film and TV sets.An intimacy coordinator works with directors, cast and crew to help plan intimate scenes and ensure the wellbeing of actors.Conversations about the role intimacy coordinators play have become more common in recent years.
This summer, Aidan Turner criticised the lack of intimacy coordinators on past projects that he has been involved in. Actors such as Kate Winslet and Sharon Stone have also said that they could have benefitted from one on set on previous projects.However, Sean Bean last year said that they “spoil the spontaneity” of sex scenes, but he was later criticised by several female actors.
Michael Caine also questioned the need for them in a new interview. “In my day, you just did the love scene and got on with it without anyone interfering,” he told The Daily Mail.Now, Sex Education’s lead intimacy coordinator David Thackeray has shared his thoughts on the matter in a new interview with Radio Times, saying of the criticism: “I completely get where they’re coming from.”“It’s the typical thing, because when I trained as an intimacy coordinator, before it was established, the fear was that ‘is this going to really just be a bit of health and safety?
Is it going to get in the way of acting, or directing? Is it going to get in the way of a process?’“But once you’ve gone through it, once you’ve actually worked with an intimacy coordinator, and had a brilliant process where you can go, ‘Oh, I found so much more detail.
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