Game of Thrones’ Ciarán Hinds renews debate about the need of intimacy coordinators

Over the years, a lot of actors have come forward regarding their experiences filming sex scenes on films and TV shows, and they vary a lot, from funny, and annoying, to downright scary and uncomfortable. However, there are some people who are well-versed in the act of filming love-making sequences and helping the performers get cozy in front of the camera, known as intimacy coordinators. In recent times, a few actors have actually questioned the need for these coordinators.

What did Ciarán Hinds say about intimacy coordinators?

In a recent interview with The Independent, Hinds talked about filming for his new Irish drama The Dry, in which he co-stars with his wife Hélène Patarot. He opened up about his experience working with an intimacy coordinator for the first time, “I didn’t come from that generation. Anything [me and my co-stars] had to create together in scenes of a sexual nature we just talked about it.”

“It’s about how we tell the story together, so I didn’t understand why intimacy coordinators were suddenly everywhere. As actors you let your own spirits inform what you’re doing.”

Who first began the debate about the necessity of intimacy coordinators?

It was none other than The Lord of The Rings and Game of Thrones alum Sean Bean. A few months back in an interview with the U.K.’s Times Magazine (via Variety), Bean expressed that the coordinators “spoil the spontaneity” of intimate scenes. He said, “It would inhibit me more because it’s drawing attention to things. Somebody saying, ‘Do this, put your hands there, while you touch his thing… I think the natural way lovers behave would be ruined by someone bringing it right down to a technical exercise.”

What do you think about the necessity of intimacy coordinators in TV shows and movies? Tell us in the comments below!

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