Paul Feig was the ‘least comfortable’ person on set when it came to his upcoming movie’s intimacy scenes.
The Bridesmaids and The Heat director has had a switch-up from his typical comedic films with his latest project, The Housemaid.
Starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, Feig ‘really enjoyed’ taking on the thriller as he praises the cast for embracing the challenge of shooting ‘200 scenes’ in just 34 days.
And without spoiling too much of the plot (although it is based on the Freida McFadden novel), the film about a maid working for a wealthy family with some dark secrets has its share of more physical, aggressive and intimate scenes.
Advert
LADbible asked Feig how he approached shooting these on set, as he admits he was a little ‘nervous’ about them, while Sweeney says it was pretty ‘cute’.
“I mean I’m probably the least comfortable when shooting those kinds of scenes,” the director says. “But my cast was so open and free and just, kind of not hung up on anything. So that was really nice.”
Feig credits the film’s intimacy co-ordinator, Lizzy, for her help on set as she was ‘able to ask’ the things he wasn’t sure he could.
“It makes my life much better because I’m always just so worried about offending anybody or saying something the wrong way,” he continues.
“You’re nervous getting on set and by half a day in, you’re just like, ‘Ok’, it just becomes like a stunt, like a fight scene.”
Feig adds that it was ‘very much’ collaborative between him and Sweeney, Seyfried and their co-star, Brandon Sklenar, while admitting it was ‘funny’ how hesitant he would be to suggest anything. Yet, they would be more than happy and ‘suggest other things’ too.
“I’m like, “Really? Oh, okay, cool, you’ll do that. That’s great.’ But it’s like, I would always give the power to the actors on that. I never want an actor to feel uncomfortable, or like I’m asking something out of line,” he says.
And that’s exactly the praise his cast gives as Sweeney says he was a ‘very thoughtful, kind and considerate filmmaker’ to work with while she featured in partially nude, intimate scenes.
The Euphoria actor adds ‘it was cute’ how much more nervous Feig was as Seyfried says: “I feel like we have more experience that Paul will ever have at like…”
“Any of that,” Sweeney jumps in.
“Anything; stunts, intimacy scenes, dances, violence,” Seyfried continues. “I mean, that's our job. And we have been through our fair share of moments like that in our careers.
“I just think Paul's just very afraid for anybody to get hurt. Of course we're really protective of ourselves, but it's kind of endearing when the director is like, ‘Please be careful, you don't have to do that, if you don't want you.’”
As Sweeney says, it’s a ‘huge collaboration’ when working with an intimacy co-ordinator. Sklenar adds that they ensure ‘everyone’s comfortable and everyone involved feels safe’.
Although he admits that intimate scenes are ‘definitely challenging’ to shoot, as while they look one way on film, it’s like a polar opposite feeling when you’re on set.
“And they're very delicate, and there's a lot of planning that gets involved and a lot of communication,” Sklenar continues. “We felt extremely comfortable, largely because Paul is who he is, and he's just such a warm hearted, kind person.”
He also says that the fact Feig was ‘more nervous’ than the actors goes to show how ‘where his heart’s at’.
He added: “So it’s really because of him that those scenes went as well as they did.”
The Housemaid lands in UK and Irish cinemas on 26 December 2025.
Topics: Sydney Sweeney, Film, TV and Film
Jess Battison