Oscar winner Juliette Binoche says intimacy coordinators can lead to a ‘bad situation’
Oscar-winning actress Juliette Binoche has shared her thoughts on the role of intimacy coordinators on movie sets.
In a new interview with the Guardian ahead of her directorial debut, In-I In Motion, she reflected on whether she thought they were a good or bad thing.
Intimacy co-ordinators are a specialized professional in film, television, and theatre who advocates for actors and choreographs scenes involving nudity, simulated sex or high-level emotional/physical vulnerability.
They ensure a consensual and professional environment, acting as a liaison between directors and performers to plan intimate moments just as a stunt coordinator handle fight scenes.
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Kate Winslet has previously made headlines for saying she would have benefited from having one earlier in her career, saying: "It would have been nice to have had someone in my corner, because I always had to stand up for myself."
It appears Juliette Binoche remains unconvinced about their role.
Speaking ahead of her vérité documentary In-I In Motion, which explores her 2008 dance collaboration with Akram Khan, she told The Guardian: “I've been approached about that. The vocabulary is all: 'Are you agreeing that he touches this?'
"When you're in a love scene it needs to come from the heart, the guts, the need"
"The body becomes a puzzle...It's not as simple as having an intimacy coordinator on set. When you're in a love scene it needs to come from the heart, the guts, the need."
She did recognise the need for intimacy co-ordinators for 'less seasoned' female actors, but praised her latest film, In-I In Motion for taking a more raw approach.
The Parisian-born actor added that bringing in intimacy coordinators risked damaging the authenticity of scenes.
She continued: "If you’re thinking of the movement you’re going to do and not of the feeling, you’re in a bad situation.
"When you’re embodying lovers, you overcome some fears of touching bodies.
"You really have to go beyond your comfort zone because otherwise you become a prude and not truthful to what’s happening in life.”
What do Hollywood stars think of intimacy coordinators?
Stars remain split on the need for them on set. Jennifer Lawrence stated she did not use an intimacy coordinator while filming intimate scenes with Robert Pattinson for their 2025 film Die My Love. Meanwhile Florence Pugh has expressed mixed views on intimacy coordinators, noting that while she has had 'fantastic" and 'effective' experiences, she has also had 'shit' experiences where they made scenes "weird and awkward".
Kate Winslet has strongly endorsed the use of intimacy coordinators on set, stating she wishes they had been available earlier in her career to provide support, safety, and advocacy during intimate scenes.
She noted that having these professionals would have spared her from having to constantly stand up for her own comfort and boundaries.
Topics: Jennifer Lawrence, Florence Pugh, Film and TV
Thomas Bamford