Jennifer Lawrence has sparked a huge debate after discussing her reason for not using an intimacy co-ordinator for her new film.
Lawrence, who stars in Die My Love alongside Robert Pattinson, revealed in a new interview with Variety that the pair had rejected the specialist role for their intimate scenes.
The co-ordinators work on sets to ensure that any scenes with intimacy are approached in a respectful manner, whether that be sex scenes, anything involving nudity, or familial non-sexual intimacy.
Lawrence’s comments sparked a viral social media debate though when she said that she’d turned down an intimacy co-ordinator because Pattinson ‘isn’t pervy’.
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The Hunger Games star said: “We did not have [an intimacy coordinator], or maybe we did but we didn’t really… I felt really safe with Rob. He is not pervy and very in love with [Pattinson’s partner] Suki Waterhouse.”
Lawrence went on to say that ‘a lot of male actors get offended if you don’t want to f*ck them’ and that this can lead to ‘punishment’.
She stated that, if she felt there was a hint that he may have liked her, she would’ve got an intimacy co-ordinator.
The celeb’s comments sparked a debate online due to the divided camps over whether intimacy co-ordinators should be mandatory on film sets.
One viral tweet questioned the decision, saying: “Again… that is not the point of intimacy coordinators.
“It’s so that every person on set (including behind the camera) feels safe and protected. seasoned (and new) actors need to stop acting like it’s a badge of honour to not have an intimacy coordinator.”
This is indeed part of the role of intimacy co-ordinators, who will often work with the people behind the camera ahead of intimate scenes to ensure their comfort.
Another poster, however, pointed out that the very fact that actors are not aligned in their views on the role is worth discussing in itself.
One posted saying: “It's so funny how much this pisses off Twitter when this is so clearly a topic that actors aren't in agreement on.”
They went on to add to this saying: “As I say every time, if the assumption is that getting naked & simulating sex is risky, that's also going to be an argument for privacy for SOME people so you'll have to actually CONVINCE them that that's not in their best interest lol.”
The topic of an intimacy co-ordinator was hotly debated after Anora star Mikey Madison revealed she had not used a co-ordinator for her role as a sex worker, a role she ended up winning an Oscar for.
One fan tweeted regarding Lawrence’s quotes however, saying: “Anora has done irreparable damage to the reputation of why intimacy coords exist like they are not JUST FOR THE ACTORS they are to help EVERYONE on set be comfortable good f*cking god.”
Lawrence’s scenes with Pattinson were part of the new Lynne Ramsay film Die My Love, a drama following a young woman suffering with postpartum depression who enters a psychosis as a result.
Die My Love releases in cinemas November 7.
Topics: Jennifer Lawrence, Robert Pattinson, TV and Film, Film, Sex and Relationships
Michael Slavin