Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has now set new standards and protocols for the intimacy coordinators.
An X-rated sex scene between Jenna Ortega and Martin Freeman in 'Miller's Girl' stirred a massive controversy. Makers faced severe backlash showing intimacy between 21-year-old Ortega and Freeman, who is 52. Directed by Jade Bartlett, the film shows the relationship between an 18-year-old student (played by Ortega), and her older teacher (played by Freeman). Social media users called the scene "gross" and "uncomfortable".
Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has now set new standards and protocols for the intimacy coordinators as to when they are permitted to speak publicly about actors' work. This decision has come after the interview of Kristina Arjona, intimacy coordinator of 'Miller's Girl'. She had told the Daily Mail that Ortega was fully comfortable with the scene.
SAG-AFTRA, in its new rules has ensured that actors' "confidentiality" should be kept in mind especially when intimacy coordinators have a professional need to speak about intimate scenes publicly.
A spokesperson for SAG-AFTRA, told Deadline, "Intimacy coordinators are a crucial resource on any set to ensure the protection of our members working in intimate scenes''.
Kristina Arjonam while speaking to The Daily Mail told in detail about the processes on set and said that the costars were "comfortable" while filming. She said, "There [were] many, many people throughout this process engaging with [Ortega] to make sure that it was consistent with what she was comfortable with, and she was very determined and very sure of what she wanted to do''.
Arjona also said that the role of an intimacy coordinator is to support her actors "decisions" and "adapt to whatever is the comfort level of my actors."
She further said, "Especially on a production like this where there is a large age gap between the actors," and added, "I'm hyper aware of both of my talent and making sure that we're consistently checking in and that at no point are any of their boundaries being surpassed."
As per Deadline, the new rules by SAG-AFTRA also states that if an intimacy coordinator fails to adhere to the protocols, he or she "could potentially" be removed from SAG-AFTRA's registry.