Blake Lively has filed a civil complaint against her co-star and director Justin Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment during the filming of “It Ends with Us.” The controversy centers around film footage that underscores the necessity of intimacy coordinators on set, akin to organizing stunts. Despite the absence of intimacy coordinators during the filming, the issue has sparked a broader discussion about their critical role in ensuring safe and consensual environments in intimate scenes.
The legal battle emerged when Lively's team released a video showing multiple takes of a scene where she and Baldoni slow dance in a bar. Lively alleges the video exemplifies Baldoni's inappropriate behavior, a claim he staunchly denies. In the footage, the pair can be seen engaging in conversation about their personal lives and joking about Baldoni's nose, which Lively's legal team describes as "damning" evidence of Baldoni repeatedly "attempting to kiss" her.
“attempting to kiss” her, “rubbing his face and mouth against her neck, flicking her lip with his thumb, caressing her … and talking with her out of character” – Lively's legal team
The controversy sheds light on the absence of an intimacy coordinator during these scenes. Arielle Zadok, an intimacy coordinator and sex educator, noted that Lively and Baldoni were "negotiating the scene in real time" without professional guidance. Zadok remarked that every moment was improvised by Baldoni without prior discussion or consent.
“This is an instance where I definitely would have had a conversation with Blake to check in on what I was picking up, ask the director for more clarity on the specific beats and make sure everyone was clear and confident prior to doing another take.” – Arielle Zadok
Mia Schachter, another intimacy coordinator, observed Lively trying to "appease" Baldoni while maintaining composure. This situation highlights the inherent power dynamics between actor and director, which Zadok emphasized as "glaringly obvious."
“the inherent power dynamic between actor and director is glaringly obvious” – Arielle Zadok
Ita O'Brien, a pioneer in the field of intimacy coordination, stressed that actors should keep their personal lives separate from their characters' physicality. She pointed out that the process should begin with understanding the script and collaboratively deciding on the physicality required for scenes.
“It starts with reading the script and interrogating why the scene is in the story.” – Ita O'Brien
“From that conversation will emerge the physicality. We always invite the director to think about what they really want to capture. We gain agreement and consent for every beat – whether that’s fingers intertwining, a hand around the back of a neck, or fingers running through someone’s hair.” – Ita O'Brien
Tommy Ross-Williams, chair of the Bectu trade union's intimacy coordinators branch, noted that many important lines can become blurred when actors attempt to negotiate intimate scenes without professional guidance. The lack of an intimacy coordinator can lead to misinterpretations and discomfort, as evidenced in Lively's legal complaint.
“many important lines are blurred” when actors try to negotiate the scope of an intimate scene while performing. – Tommy Ross-Williams
The video released by Lively's team also revealed a contentious moment where Baldoni commented on Lively's scent, which his team argues was in response to her discussing her spray tan. This incident further demonstrates the complexities involved when intimacy coordinators are not present to mediate and ensure clarity.
O'Brien advocates for the essential presence of intimacy coordinators on set, comparing their role to that of stunt coordinators.
“In the past, some people would go, ‘I do my own stunts. I don’t need a stunt coordinator’. Whereas today, if there’s a stunt or a fight, you have a stunt coordinator there to offer their skills. It should now be the same with intimacy coordinators.” – Ita O'Brien