Two intimacy coordinators break down the sci-fi striptease and sex scenes in Barbarella and how 1968's most famous erotic sci-fi film staged them.

Full description:

Jane Fonda strips out of a spacesuit in zero gravity. Later, she defeats a villain using an orgasm machine. Yes. Really.

Barbarella (1968) is one of the most bizarre and brazen films of a generation. Ariel and Morgan break down how the cult classic uses erotic spectacle, camp, and absurdity to create scenes that are wildly objectifying and oddly revolutionary for their time.

In this episode:

• How the zero-gravity striptease opening uses choreography, framing, and floating credits to tease and shock the audience
• Why the "Excessive Machine" scene was extremely bold for mainstream cinema in 1968
• The weaponization of pleasure
• Why early Hollywood treated sex as visual spectacle first and human experience second

A filmmaker's lens on 1960s sci-fi spectacle

Ariel and Morgan break down what Barbarella got right, what it got wrong, and why it's still iconic. It's campy. It's chaotic. And it's worth studying through an intimacy coordinator's lens.

Watch along timestamps:

• Opening striptease: 0:00
• Excessive Machine scene: 1:15:00

Subscribe for bi-weekly behind the scenes breakdowns of film and TV's most iconic sex scenes.

Credits

Barbarella (1968) | Director: Roger Vadim | Paramount Pictures

Hashtags

#Barbarella #JaneFonda #IntimacyCoordinator #CultClassic #SciFiMovies

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Two intimacy coordinators are joined by Brooke M. Haney to break down the intimacy and sex scenes in Booksmart.

Olivia Wilde's directorial debut proves awkward queer intimacy doesn't need to be polished to be powerful.

This one's about awkward first times. Skinny jeans. Bad geometry. Zero game.

In this episode:

• Why awkward intimacy can still be choreographed and is not an excuse to skip process
• The storytelling power of wardrobe choices, body language, and the messy logistics of skinny jeans and Converses
• Why representation of imperfect queer intimacy matters when so many people learn about sex from movies
• The real production challenges of filming intimacy on beaches, in pools, and under rapidly disappearing sunlight

A storyteller's lens on queer intimacy

Ariel and Morgan get into shop talk: kit items, choreography language, and what it actually takes to make awkward intimacy read as tender rather than cringe.

Guest: Brooke M. Haney

• Buy her book: A History of Intimacy Professionals in Entertainment
• Buy her book: The Intimacy Coordinator's Guidebook
• Listen to Ariel and Morgan guest on the podcast Happier in Hollywood

Watch along timestamps:

• Pool sequence: 1:04:00
• Bathroom hookup scene: 1:14:42 – 1:18:00

Subscribe for bi-weekly behind the scenes breakdowns of film and TV's most iconic sex scenes.

Credits

Booksmart (2019) | Director: Olivia Wilde | Annapurna Pictures / Gloria Sanchez Productions

Hashtags

#Booksmart #IntimacyCoordinator #queerrepresentation #queerintimacy #FilmBreakdown

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Theme Song: Faking It by Mike Goetz

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Two intimacy coordinators break down the sex scenes in Insecure and why the show's intimacy has real range.

Morgan introduces Ariel (who has never seen the show) to two wildly different intimacy moments from Season 4: one jealousy-fueled nightmare fantasy and one slow-burn reunion that might be one of the most emotionally satisfying TV hookups ever.

In this episode:

• How a comedic sex scene can be intentionally not realistic — and why it works
• The universality of the phrase, "pop the tags"
• The crackling eye contact, breath work, and micro-choices that make Issa and Lawrence's reunion explode
• Tender Black love on screen and why we don't see enough of it
• The position change that tells you exactly who's in control

A masterclass in storytelling through intimacy

This episode is funny, nerdy, and unexpectedly emotional. It's a perfect example of how a show can pull off slapstick fantasy and deeply romantic intimacy in the same breath. We also discuss the role of the intimacy coordinator on set and they may have approached the show's intimate moments.

Watch along timestamps:

• Season 4, Episode 4 (Lowkey Feelin' Myself): 11:53
• Season 4, Episode 8 (Lowkey Happy): 25:17

Subscribe for weekly behind the scenes breakdowns of film and TV's most iconic sex scenes.

Credits

Insecure (Season 4) | Creators: Issa Rae, Larry Wilmore | HBO

Hashtags

#InsecureHBO #IssaRae #IntimacyCoordinator #TVBreakdown #BlackLove

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Theme Song: Faking It by Mike Goetz

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Two intimacy coordinators are joined by Heated Rivalry's intimacy coordinator Chala Hunter to break down the show's queer sex scenes, the craft behind them, and finding joy in the work.

From her early days of learning the job during #MeToo to stepping onto a set packed with choreography and high emotional stakes, Chala pulls back the curtain on what it takes to build intimacy that feels grounded, safe, and electric.

In this episode:

• How she found her way into intimacy coordination when the field was still being defined
• Why she prioritizes trust, play, and actor agency over rigid choreography
• How Heated Rivalry balanced tenderness, heat, and authenticity without losing its heart
• Why representation doesn't have to feel "authentic to everyone" to still be meaningful
• What happens when three intimacy coordinators get together and the nerding starts before the mics are even warm

A behind the scenes look at the craft

It's insightful, funny, incredibly revealing, and a rare behind the scenes look at the craft from someone doing the work at the highest level. This one feels like a milestone episode.

Watch along timestamps:

• Episode 4 (Rose): 21:07 – 24:29
• Episode 6 (The Cottage): 20:15 – 22:37 and 32:34 – 33:27

Subscribe for weekly behind the scenes breakdowns of film and TV's most iconic sex scenes.

Credits

Heated Rivalry | Director: Jacob Tierney | Crave

Hashtags

#HeatedRivalry #IlyaRosanov #IntimacyCoordinator #TVBreakdown #Hollanov

Support the show

Connect & Support the Show
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Theme Song: Faking It by Mike Goetz

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Two intimacy coordinators break down the sex scenes in She's Gotta Have It and why the show feels like a religious experience.

Full description:

Some shows open quietly. Season 2 of She's Gotta Have It opens with a bang — literally.

Ariel and Morgan break down the iconic simulated sex montage from Season 2, Episode 1, focusing on how lighting, space, and who's in control radically reshape how intimacy is experienced and understood onscreen.

In this episode:

• How Spike Lee uses daylight vs candlelight to reflect different emotional states
• Why this scene feels devotional rather than voyeuristic
• How Nola's relationship with Opal marks a shift from exploration to embodiment
• How choreography, hair, and stillness do as much storytelling as movement
• Why this scene quietly sets a new bar for how queer Black intimacy is filmed on television

A filmmaker's lens on queer intimacy

Ariel and Morgan also discuss the evolution from the 1986 film to the Netflix series, what it means to reclaim Nola Darling's story through a more expansive lens, and why sexually liberated queer Black women are still so rarely given this level of care onscreen.

It's reverent, gorgeous, deeply nerdy, and a reminder that intimacy doesn't have to escalate to be electric.

Watch along timestamps:

• TV show (Season 2, Episode 1): 1:22:10 – 1:29:34
• Movie (1986 original): 39:27 – 40:27

Subscribe for bi-weekly behind the scenes breakdowns of film and TV's most iconic sex scenes.

Credits

She's Gotta Have It (Season 2, Episode 1: "#IMFEELINGMYFEELINGS") | Director: Spike Lee | Netflix (2019)

She's Gotta Have It (1986) | Director: Spike Lee | 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks

Hashtags

#SheGottaHaveIt #SpikeLee #QueerIntimacy #IntimacyCoordinator #Netflix

Support the show

Connect & Support the Show
Watch video versions on Spotify and YouTube.
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Theme Song: Faking It by Mike Goetz

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Two intimacy coordinators break down the sapphic sex scenes in The Handmaiden and how the film rewrites queer intimacy on screen.

This episode is a love letter to immaculate choreography, devastating eye contact, and enough sapphic tension to power a small city.

Ariel and Morgan dive into the two iconic intimacy scenes from Park Chan-wook's The Handmaiden — scenes so explicit, so intentional, and so beautifully constructed that they still feel radical nearly a decade later.

In this episode:

• How the film uses restraint, pacing, and POV to build erotic tension
• Why a simple hand-grip deserves its own IMDb credit
• How sapphic sex is framed as joy, discovery, and mutual power, not performance
• Why this might be one of the best examples of the female gaze in modern cinema

A masterclass in storytelling through intimacy

Ariel and Morgan also unpack the behind-the-scenes approach to filming the intimacy, the deliberate removal of the male gaze, and why The Handmaiden remains a gold standard for what intimate storytelling can look like when trust and intention lead the way.

It's sexy, funny, deeply thoughtful, and a reminder that sometimes the most radical thing a movie can do is let women actually enjoy each other.

Watch along timestamps:

• First scene: 41:47 – 46:56
• Second scene: 1:39:53 – 1:44:00

Subscribe for bi-weekly behind the scenes breakdowns of film and TV's most iconic sex scenes.

Credits

The Handmaiden (2016) | Director: Park Chan-wook | Moho Film / Yong Film

Hashtags

#TheHandmaiden #ParkChanwook #SapphicCinema #FemaleGaze #IntimacyCoordinator

Support the show

Connect & Support the Show
Watch video versions on Spotify and YouTube.
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Theme Song: Faking It by Mike Goetz

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Two intimacy coordinators break down the sex scenes in Fifty Shades of Grey and explain what the film gets wrong about BDSM.

Ariel and Morgan are kicking off the new year by breaking down the infamous first Red Room scene. What was supposed to be mainstream BDSM became basically vanilla, questionable choreography, and music doing the heavy lifting.

In this episode:

• Why the Red Room reads more like spectacle than negotiated intimacy
• How the film confuses dominance with control and intensity with compatibility
• How music, montage, and production design work overtime to create heat that isn't really there
• What a more grounded, informed, and sexier version of this scene could have looked like
• Why Christian Grey is a disappointing Dom and lover

A filmmaker's lens on consent and power dynamics

This episode isn't about kink-shaming. It's about unpacking why a movie that centered BDSM failed to show how consent, agency, and erotic tension actually function in practice. It's part critique, part craft analysis, and part public service announcement for anyone who thinks vibes count as communication.

Watch along timestamp:

• Red Room scene: 1:22:10 – 1:29:34

Subscribe for bi-weekly behind the scenes breakdowns of film and TV's most iconic sex scenes.

Credits

Fifty Shades of Grey (2015) | Director: Sam Taylor-Johnson | Focus Features

Hashtags

#FiftyShadesOfGrey #BDSM #RedRoom #IntimacyCoordinator #FilmBreakdown

Support the show

Connect & Support the Show
Watch video versions on Spotify and YouTube.
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Theme Song: Faking It by Mike Goetz

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Never miss an episode — subscribe wherever you listen. Love the show? A 5-star rating helps other listeners find us.

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For entertainment and educational purposes only. All trademarks and copyrights remain with their respective owners.

Two intimacy coordinators break down the sex scenes in Heated Rivalry and why the show gets queer intimacy right.

In this very special Bonus Episode, Ariel and Morgan dive headfirst into Heated Rivalry, the wildly requested gay hockey romance that dropped on November 28 and immediately set the internet on fire.

Based on Rachel Reid's beloved romance novels, the series follows Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, two elite professional hockey players whose rivalry turns into a secret, years-long love affair. What starts as a teenage hookup evolves into a deeply emotional, highly physical relationship that unfolds over nearly a decade, on and off the ice.

Ariel and Morgan break down multiple intimacy scenes from the first two episodes and unpack why Heated Rivalry feels so different from most male-male sex scenes on TV.

In this episode:

• Why these sex scenes feel unusually realistic, tender, and embodied
• How athletic bodies move differently and why that matters for choreography
• The importance of aftercare, communication, and check-ins onscreen
• What the show gets right about first times, awkward moments, and learning each other's bodies
• Why queer intimacy is so often shortened and how Heated Rivalry refuses to cut away
• The now-iconic back arch that has gay Twitter in a chokehold

A behind the scenes look at queer intimacy on screen

This episode celebrates queer sex that's messy, hot, funny, imperfect, and deeply human. It's all the spice, none of the filler, and a perfect way to close out the year.

Watch along timestamps:

• Episodes 1 & 2: Multiple intimacy scenes covered in episode

Subscribe for bi-weekly behind the scenes breakdowns of film and TV's most iconic sex scenes.

Support LGBTQ Youth

Consider supporting organizations that protect and uplift LGBTQ youth: Trans Lifeline, GLAAD, and Transanta. Even a small donation helps keep queer kids safe, supported, and celebrated.

Credits

Heated Rivalry | Creator: Jacob Tierney | Crave (2024) | Based on the novels by Rachel Reid

Hashtags

#HeatedRivalry #Hollanov #IlyaRosanov #IntimacyCoordinator #TVBreakdown

Support the show

Connect & Support the Show
Watch video versions on Spotify and YouTube.
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Theme Song: Faking It by Mike Goetz

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Two intimacy coordinators break down the famous orgy scene in Eyes Wide Shut and the voyeurism and choreography behind it.

The masked orgy scene is one of the most infamous in cinema history. But it's not about pleasure. It's about power, performance, and male insecurity. 

Ariel and Morgan unpack the ritual, the choreography, and what Kubrick was really doing beneath the cloaks and candles. 

In this episode: 

• Why the orgy functions as theater, not eroticism
• How masking and voyeurism guide the audience's gaze
• The role of ritual, anonymity, and class Kubrick's discomfort with sex and how it shapes the film
• Ariel's hottest take ever (you decide) 

Subscribe for weekly breakdowns of film and TV's wildest intimate scenes. 

Credits Eyes Wide Shut (1999) | Director: Stanley Kubrick | Warner Bros. 

#EyesWideShut #StanleyKubrick #OrgyScene #IntimacyCoordinator #FilmBreakdown

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Connect & Support the Show
Watch video versions on Spotify and YouTube.
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Theme Song: Faking It by Mike Goetz

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Two intimacy coordinators are joined by director Amanda Holland to break down the sapphic motel scene in Carol.

From tension you could pour over pancakes to the robe pull that changed lesbian cinematic history, the trio breaks down why this scene still feels like a masterclass in sensual restraint, visual storytelling, and character vulnerability. 

They unpack it all:

• How power dynamics shift without a word, told only through body language
• Why the simulated oral moment works… and where it gets a little thigh-heavy
• How Cate Blanchett seduces by doing absolutely nothing except existing in a robe (a power move we should all aspire to)

This episode is equal parts craft, chaos, holiday cheer, and deep queer yearning: the perfect festive treat.

Give a Little Queer Holiday Love

If you’re feeling the spirit, consider supporting organizations that protect and uplift trans and LGBTQ youth year-round. A few of our favorites:

Buy Fruity TV Gear (Like a Christmas Carol or Happy HoliGays) here! 

The Trevor Project: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/
Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
Ali Forney Center: https://www.aliforneycenter.org/

Even a small donation helps keep queer kids safe, supported, and celebrated, and that’s the kind of holiday magic we believe in.

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Director: Todd Haynes
Writers: Phyllis Nagy (screenplay); Patricia Highsmith (novel)
Producers: Elizabeth Karlsen; Christine Vachon; Stephen Woolley
Actors (selected): Cate Blanchett; Rooney Mara
© 2015 Number 9 Films / Killer Films / Film4 Productions. All rights reserved.

-----------------------------------------

#Carol #intimacy coordinator #queercinema #behindthescenes

Support the show

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