Jenna Ortega Controversial Sex Scene Sparks New SAG-AFTRA Guidelines
Over the last several years and even the past few decades, Hollywood has shifted its vision when it comes to how love scenes are filmed. Intimacy coordinators have become one of the most integral parts of a feature, with many stars feeling much more comfortable having the extra help during their most vulnerable performances. However, one coordinator did more harm than good after sharing too many details about one such scene in Miller’s Girl, which featured Jenna Ortega and Martin Freeman, and now, SAG-AFTRA is pushing for new guidelines.
Watch the trailer for Miller’s Girl below.
The main chord that SAG-AFTRA will be striking is in the realm of confidentiality, putting more pressure on intimacy coordinators to leave their jobs behind the second they step off the set.
In the film, Jenna Ortega and Martin Freeman’s characters share a sex scene which, of course, had an intimacy coordinator involved during the day of filming. After this professional left the set, they were expected to live up to the title of “professional,” and keep the intimate details to themselves. According to the actor’s union, this wasn’t done, leading the guild to further press down on its Standards and Protocols when it comes to how intimacy coordinators carry out their jobs.
The main chord that SAG-AFTRA will be striking is in the realm of confidentiality, putting more pressure on intimacy coordinators to leave their jobs behind the second they step off the set. Extenuating circumstances could include the need to involve law enforcement or if an actor signs off on an off-set discussion.
Jenna Ortega must be crushed that someone whose job it was to protect her, instead used their platform and story to make a little extra cash all while throwing Ortega to the wolves.
In the case of Jenna Ortega and Martin Freeman, neither such instance happened and, with the new guidelines, should another coordinator do something similar, it could result in their firing as well as being banished from SAG-AFTRA.
There’s a certain level of unspoken trust and expectations between an actor and their intimacy coordinator, as performing sex scenes with cameras rolling is one of the most vulnerable things an entertainer can do. In the case of Miller’s Girl, Kristina Arjona joined the Lionsgate project as its intimacy coordinator, signing both a confidentiality agreement as well as an NDA.
Arjona worked closely with Martin Freeman and Jenna Ortega during their intimate scenes and performed her job well but a handful of comments made to a tabloid would undo all of her professionalism.
Speaking with the publication, Arjona said that Jenna Ortega had plenty of say in planning the film’s sex scenes, pouring her thoughts into every move. Though the Wednesday star’s representation hasn’t stepped forward to leave a comment on the matter, the actress must be crushed that someone whose job it was to protect her, instead used their platform and story to make a little extra cash all while throwing Ortega to the wolves.
There’s a certain level of unspoken trust and expectations between an actor and their intimacy coordinator, as performing sex scenes with cameras rolling is one of the most vulnerable things an entertainer can do.
In Miller’s Girl, Jenna Ortega plays an 18-year-old character who is seduced and begins to engage in an affair with Martin Freeman’s 52-year-old teacher, whom she has put on a pedestal. The intimate scenes between the lovers have created quite a buzz on the cringe factor given the subject material of the production. Now, with SAG-AFTRA eyeing up some huge changes that will shift the way intimacy coordinators are expected to carry out their jobs on a much more professional level, those like Arjona will need to step it up or they may find themselves out of work sooner rather than later.
Source: Deadline
