Michael Caine questions need for intimacy coordinators: “In my day you just did the love scene”

Michael Caine has questioned the purpose of intimacy coordinators in an interview, saying he’s glad he doesn’t “play lovers anymore”.

The benefits of intimacy coordinators, who help prioritise the wellbeing of actors during sex scenes on film and TV sets, has been debated in recent years. Actors like Aidan Turner and Kate Winslet have been vocal about how they could have benefitted from having one on set on past projects, whereas Sean Bean said they “spoil the spontaneity” of sex scenes.

Speaking to The Daily Mail, Caine has similarly questioned whether they’re necessary when asked about the subject. “Really? Seriously? What are they? We never had that in my day,” the actor said.

“Thank God I’m 90 and don’t play lovers anymore is all I can say. In my day you just did the love scene and got on with it without anyone interfering. It’s all changed.”

Caine also expressed his views on political correctness, explaining that while he tries to learn from his children and younger co-stars, he struggles with some limitations.

“It’s dull,” Caine said. “Not being able to speak your mind and not being able to call anyone ‘darling’.”

He added: “I try but it’s hard. I like to learn from friends who are younger than me.”

Caine recently suggested his new film, The Great Escaper, could be his last film role. “I am bloody 90 now, and I can’t walk properly and all that,” he told The Telegraph. “I sort of am retired now.”

Last week, intimacy coordinator David Thackeray, who has worked on shows like Sex Education and Heartstopper, responded to the criticism of the role they play on sets.

“I completely get where they’re coming from,” Thackeray told the Radio Times. “It’s the typical thing, because when I trained as an intimacy coordinator before it was established, the fear was that ‘is this going to really just be a bit of health and safety? Is it going to get in the way of acting, or directing? Is it going to get in the way of a process?’

“But once you’ve gone through it, once you’ve actually worked with an intimacy coordinator, and had a brilliant process where you can go, ‘Oh, I found so much more detail. I can still respect what your acting process is, I still respect your directing process, and I’m just gonna give you a couple of tools to be able to go, ‘Oh, that’s a lot easier, we’ll just do that’.”

He added: “So for me, I think, find out what it’s about and hopefully you have a great process with a great intimacy coordinator, and hopefully you will change your mind.”

The post Michael Caine questions need for intimacy coordinators: “In my day you just did the love scene” appeared first on NME.