Ewan McGregor discusses importance of intimacy coordinator for sex scenes with his wife
Ewan McGregor has opened up about shooting intimate scenes alongside his wife, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, for the upcoming television series A Gentleman in Moscow.
Though many may assume an intimacy coordinator would not be necessary for scenes with someone you feel close to, McGregor insisted it was fundamental to the way the scene played out and in benefitting the accompanying crew.
Discussing the scenes in a new interview, McGregor said it’s important to consider all of those on set, adding that “it’s odd to be naked in front of people, it’s odd to be intimate in front of the camera.”
To explain further, the actor compared sex scenes to dance scenes, stating that “you’d have a choreographer” for those scenes, so it is just as crucial to have a coordinator for the intimate ones too. “It’s an important part of the work now,” he told Radio Times, “because [the coordinator is] somebody that the director and actors meet in the middle.”
Since the inception of the #MeToo movement, safe intimate scenes have been mandatory on most film sets, with directors hiring an intimacy coordinator to ensure that all standards and needs are met, both for the crew and the cast. In today’s landscape, many strive to present on-screen sex as a realistic act that serves the plot rather than distracting from it.
Years back, however, intimacy coordinators weren’t seen as an essential aspect of the project, according to Poor Things intimacy coordinator Elle McAlpine. In McAlpine’s view, the role wasn’t seen as a necessity, and she often had to convince directors to view it as a chemistry read rather than an orchestrator of sex on screen.
Now, however, there’s often the freedom to mould expectations around creativity and storytelling. “If you’ve had a conversation about the sexual expression of a character,” McAlpine explained, “[the actor] will then deliver the most amazing performance because they’re so filled up with creativity.”
Although there may be misconceptions about McGregor starring alongside his wife, with certain viewers questioning the need for intimacy coordinators, this speaks to dated misunderstandings about the role and its importance to both storytelling and safety. Not only that, but McGregor claims it also helps people to make more informed decisions.
“My daughter is 22. If an older, famous director goes to a 22-year-old and says, ‘I want you to be naked in this scene,’ that actress might feel, ‘Oh, my God, I’ve got to do it, my career might depend on it,'” McGregor explained.
He added: “And then five years after that, she could look back and go, ‘I wish I hadn’t. Why am I naked in that scene? It’s unnecessary.'”
Watch the trailer for A Gentleman in Moscow below.
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