Following the release of Martin Freeman and Jenna Ortega's controversial erotic thriller, Miller's Girl, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) has issued updated guidelines regarding intimacy. The 2024 film, which stars Freeman, 52, as a teacher and Ortega, 21, as a student, sees the pair get into a relationship with one another.
One particular scene sees the actors get intimate with each other in the bedroom. A full synopsis of the film reads: "A talented young writer (Ortega) embarks on a creative odyssey when her teacher (Freeman) assigns a project that entangles them both in an increasingly complex web.
"As lines blur and their lives intertwine, professor and protégé must confront their darkest selves while straining to preserve their individual sense of purpose and the things they hold most dear." The movie has raised some eyebrows as Ortega's character is 18 years old, with many viewers criticising her and Freeman's age gap.
In the wake of the movie's release, the SAG-AFTRA has tightened rules around intimacy coordinators, according to Deadline. Speaking to the Daily Mail, about working on Miller's Girl, intimacy coordinator Kristina Arjona explained how some of the movie's X-rated scenes were filmed.
She said: "There was many, many people throughout this process, engaging with [Jenna] to make sure that it was consistent with what she was comfortable with. She was very determined and very sure of what she wanted to do."
Arjona added that both actors were continuously checked upon so they didn't feel their boundaries were being crossed. Arjona also said Ortega and Freeman discussed 'how much nudity' would be in the film, and 'additional barriers' that would be enforced during intimate scenes.
The intimacy coordinator added these discussions took place with the crew and other cast members too. She also said there were conversations with test audiences to see if some scenes were 'too much'.
Now, as per Deadline, SAG-AFTRA is making sure consent over the filming of intimate scenes is expanded to even after the actors leave set. As part of new Standards and Protocols guidelines for intimacy coordinators, SAG-AFTRA says coordinators must seek an actor's permission to publicly share details of their intimate scenes.
Should coordinators fail to do so, SAG says this could lead to the coordinator being removed from the SAG-AFTRA's official registry following an investigation. Speaking to the publication, a SAG spokesperson said: "Intimacy coordinators are a crucial resource on any set to ensure the protection of our members working in intimate scenes.
"Members have to feel safe, comfortable and confident in engaging with intimacy coordinators." The updated SAG-AFTRA protocol guidelines add: “Intimacy coordinators should maintain the confidentiality of an actor’s work and experience in performing highly sensitive scenes unless they have the actor’s permission to publicly share this information.
"The public release of details about an actor’s scene work or confidences entrusted to the intimacy coordinator without the performer’s consent is unacceptable."
SAG-AFTRA has been approached additional comment.
