In recent years, intimacy coordinators have become a regular presence on Hollywood sets where actors are involved in nudity and sex scenes. However, it wasn’t until SAG-AFTRA struck a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers that the contract officially acknowledged language about intimacy coordinators. This move was seen as a significant win by members of the negotiating committee, as well as working intimacy coordinators.
Caitlin Dulany, a negotiating committee member, told Rolling Stone, “This is the first contract where intimacy coordinators are mentioned. I just think it’s very common to have either an uncomfortable or possibly traumatic experience when it comes to this, and it’s not healthy for us or our sets, so it’s a great victory to have this in our contract.”
Dulany, who has been a strong advocate for intimacy coordinators in Hollywood, has been instrumental in pushing for more inclusion for the role over the past five years. She highlighted the importance of the contract in ensuring that performers cannot face retaliation for requesting an intimacy coordinator on set, as she felt that standing up for oneself in such situations could be intimidating.
The agreement contains a provision stating that producers must use their best efforts to engage an intimacy coordinator for scenes involving nudity or sex acts, and consider any performer’s request to engage an intimacy coordinator for other scenes. The contract also emphasizes non-discrimination and anti-harassment policies, including clear instructions on reporting, as well as the need to provide notice to background actors if their role includes nudity or simulated sex scenes.
Alicia Rodis, an intimacy coordinator and consultant to the SAG negotiating committee, expressed her satisfaction at the inclusion of intimacy coordinators in the contract, underlining the belief that they are now a permanent fixture in the industry.
SAG-AFTRA has been actively promoting the use of intimacy coordinators in the entertainment industry, including publishing guidelines for standards and protocols for their use and creating a list of qualified coordinators on their website. Although intimacy coordinators are not currently members of SAG-AFTRA, the union’s national board approved a plan for them to join in the future.
With the proposed contract, intimacy coordinators feel that they are transitioning from being a cultural norm to more formalized involvement in Hollywood. The negotiation process also addressed the need for strong protections against sexual harassment and nudity, signaling a shift in how the industry deals with sensitive on-set scenarios.
