Michael Douglas on intimacy coordinators: “It feels like executives taking control away from filmmakers”

Over the last few years, we’ve seen the rise of intimacy coordinators in Hollywood, but Michael Douglas wonders whether it’s not just executives stepping on the toes of filmmakers.

“It’s interesting with all the intimacy coordinators,” Michael Douglas told The Telegraph. “It feels like executives taking control away from filmmakers – but there have been some terrible faux pas and harassment.“

Douglas added: “Sex scenes are like fight scenes, it’s all choreographed. In my experience you take responsibility as the man to make sure the woman is comfortable, you talk it through. You say, ‘OK, I’m gonna touch you here if that’s all right’. It’s very slow but looks like it’s happening organically, which is hopefully what good acting looks like.“

Times have changed since the era of Fatal Attraction and Basic Instinct, and Douglas admits that there has been bad conduct on sets. “I’m sure there were people that overstepped their boundaries, but before, we seemed to take care of that ourselves. They would get a reputation and that would take care of them,” he said. “But I talked to the ladies, [because] I did a few of those sex movies – sexual movies – and we joke about it now, what it would have been like to have an intimacy coordinator working with us…“

Intimacy coordinators work closely with the director and actors involved in the scene to ensure everything is done safely, respectfully, and consensually. They also serve as advocates for the actors, ensuring they continually consent to all aspects of the scene and aren’t forced to do anything beyond the previously agreed-to choreography. While some may argue that this removes some of the spontaneity of such scenes, others say it’s a small price to pay to make sure everyone is safe. Plus, as Douglas says, if it’s done right, it all looks organic anyway.

Michael Douglas is currently starring in Franklin on Apple TV+. The miniseries’ finale premiered today. You can check out a review of the miniseries from our own Alex Maidy right here.