Florence Pugh Critiques ‘Inappropriate’ Directors in Sex Scenes, Calls Intimacy Coordinators ‘Weird’

Florence Pugh has slammed ‘completely inappropriate’ directors in sex scenes and has claimed intimacy coordinators can make things ‘weird and awkward’. 

The actress, 29, who has portrayed several different sexual scenarios in her career so far, explained how there are pros and cons to having intimacy coordinators on set. 

The Don’t Worry Darling star said a good intimacy coordinated can help the stars ‘understand the dance of intimacy as opposed to just shooting a sex scene’.

Intimacy coordinators became a prominent part of film and television around 2018, following the #MeToo movement which raised awareness of actor safety and comfort on set.

However, before they were a thing, Florence revealed that despite ‘making sure she’s heard’ on set and being ‘confident’ she has found herself in tricky situations where directors have directed her inappropriately in sex scenes. 

Speaking on the Louis Theroux podcast, she said: ‘I did a lot of my sex scenes before that was even a job. I’m quite confident, I’m quite happy in my skin, I’ve always been able to make sure that I’m heard. 

‘That being said, even though I know that I believe that, and even though I know that I felt that at the time, there are plenty of things that I remember where it was just completely inappropriate to have asked me to do that, to have directed me in that way.

‘But my view is changing about it as well, because I’m now having fantastic experiences with intimacy coordinators.’

Despite now working well with intimacy coordinators, Florence opened up about working with a ‘s***’ one who ‘wasn’t helpful’ and made everything ‘awkward’. 

She continued: ‘However, that being said, I’ve also had a s*** example where someone just made it so weird and so awkward and really wasn’t helpful and kind of was just like wanting to be a part of the set in a way that wasn’t helpful, and I think it’s a job that’s still figuring itself out. 

‘I will say that I’ve been able to understand better meaning through working with great ones in sex scenes, finding the story of what it is, what kind of sex is it, how do you touch each other, how long have you been having sex for? This all matters and I had never thought of it before as it is so awkward.

‘Everybody’s just kind of working away to chip away at the scene. And I think when I worked with a fantastic coordinator, I was like, oh this is what I’ve been missing, understanding the dance of intimacy as opposed to just shooting a sex scene. 

‘There are good ones and bad ones, and it’s through the good ones that I have learned how effective it can really be.’

Discussing how filming sex scenes has developed and changed, Florence explained how everything is now discussed weeks before filming, from ‘safe words and areas you don’t want to be touched’ so stars feel more ‘comfortable’. 

She said: ‘Now what happens, conversation about the sex scenes happen weeks before and it becomes not embarrassing anymore. You used to just turn up to set and talk about it on the day in that moment and it would be awkward. 

‘The communication before happens a while before, you have safe words, safe areas, areas you don’t want to be touched, whereas before it wasn’t discussed. 

‘It’s there [intimacy coordinators] job to have someone in charge of coverage, before costume would just get you like a thong that didn’t fit you but now there is a person there thinking about your comfort.’

Florence also detailed how what nudity and what camera angles will be used are ‘arranged with your law and put in contracts’ before stepping on set. 

The Little Women star said the crews she has worked with are always ‘super respectable’ and have turn around when it comes to undressing and have ‘closed the sets’ down. 

She added: ‘What is allowed on camera and not, that is arranged with your law as that is put in your contract, it will say, will not show vagina, will show nipple, will show rear shot but only from X scene.

‘Everyone has to be aware what is being shot, it is all spelt out. 

‘The crew are super respectable the only time they look at you is when you are filming the scene, there are closed sets and the monitors won’t be on outside the room.’

Other notable sex scenes from Florence’s now glittering career include with Harry Styles in Don’t Worry Darling and the one that took place in 2023’s Oppenheimer.

In the shoes of communist Jean Tatlock she gets down and dirty with Cillian Murphy’s nuclear scientist character, beginning the intimacy by posing topless in a lounging hotel room chair.

The actress has also portrayed several different sexual scenarios in 2024 romantic comedy We Live In Time with Andre Garfield, in horror film Midsommar and in 2014’s The Falling.   

Elsewhere in the podcast, Florence admitted she struggled with the backlash she received for dating director Zach Braff due to their 21-year age gap.

She reflected on how ‘hurt’ she was by the torrent of abuse she received on social media over her relationship.

Florence and former Scrubs star Zach split in 2022 after three years of dating. Now, the actress has revealed she is in a new relationship.