‘Euphoria’: Sydney Sweeney Explains the Job of the Intimacy Coordinator

Fans of Euphoria know all too well that there is no shortage of intimate scenes within the dark drama. And several cast members have filmed scenes where they were partially nude. Fortunately, there is always an intimacy coordinator present to ensure that the actors feel safe when they are filming the vulnerable scenes.

While intimacy coordinators aren’t a requirement, they are becoming more commonplace. Huge shows like Euphoria and Bridgerton have set a good example by utilizing the experts. But what exactly do intimacy coordinators do? They serve a ton of different roles. But their main function is to make sure actors feel safe and protected when they are shooting intimate scenes.

‘Euphoria’ cast member Sydney Sweeney explains the role of intimacy coordinators

In an interview with Roger Ebert, Euphoria cast member Sydney Sweeney got candid about the role of the intimacy coordinator on set. On the show, Sweeney plays Cassie Howard, a teenage girl who’s had her fair share of unhealthy romantic relationships. Because of her role, Sweeney has worked closely with the intimacy coordinator and sees them as her advocate.

“The intimacy coordinator is just there to be that extra person who’ll come to you before you start filming a scene,” the Euphoria star shared. “They’ll walk you through everything that is going to happen and even if you’ve signed a contract saying, ‘Yes, I’m going to do this or show this,’ you can still change your mind. You can tell that person, ‘I don’t feel comfortable doing that,’ and they will be the ones who communicate that so you won’t feel as bad.”

How the intimacy coordinator advocates for the cast

While Sweeney maintains that she’s always felt comfortable advocating for herself while working on Euphoria, the intimacy coordinator gives her an additional layer of security and support. They serve as a bridge between the actor and the director and can impose some much-needed boundaries.

“They are there to be that protection when you may not feel it is your place to speak up, even though it is, but it helps you in those moments where it’s difficult to do so,” Sweeney shared. “Of course, you don’t want to tell a director, ‘No.’ You want to make their vision come to life. So if you’re doing a scene fifteen times and you don’t want to say, ‘I don’t know if I want to do this anymore,’ the intimacy coordinator will tell the director, ‘Okay, one more take.'”

All of the ‘Euphoria’ sex scenes are carefully choreographed

In addition to making sure everyone is taken care of, Euphoria‘s intimacy coordinator also maps out the technical aspects of intimate scenes. “When you go into a scene, they’ll make sure that everything is choreographed and everyone is OK and comfortable with what is happening,” Sweeney explained. “They’ll provide safety garments or undergarments or little mini yoga mats if you don’t want your bodies to touch.”

Furthermore, the intimacy coordinator is typically armed with plenty of gum and mints to make sure all the actors have fresh breath.

Sweeney shared that having her Euphoria intimacy coordinator “changed my approach to everything.” “I love having one and I think they should be considered a necessity on every set,” she said. “… I wish that more productions were aware of this and we made it a priority.”