Why Jennifer Aniston Didn't Want An Intimacy Coordinator For Morning Show's Sex Scene
Jennifer Aniston and Jon Hamm shared a particularly steamy scene during the third season of "The Morning Show," but according to Aniston, she didn't feel like she needed an intimacy coordinator to film it.
Speaking to Variety alongside her co-star Reese Witherspoon (the two play news anchors Alex Levy and Bradley Jackson, respectively), Aniston said that she felt so comfortable alongside both Hamm and the episode's director Mimi Leder that she eschewed an intimacy coordinator when one was offered. Though interviewer Emily Longeretta said the scene was more explicit than is typical for the series, Witherspoon disagreed, saying she didn't consider it explicit. From there, Aniston explained why she didn't have any issues during the shoot.
"Having Mimi there, you're protected," Aniston explained. "I never felt uncomfortable. Jon was such a gentleman, always — I mean every move, every cut, 'You OK?' It was also very choreographed. That's the beauty of Mimi and our gorgeous editor, the music and lighting. So, you don't prepare."
In fact, when Aniston was asked if she'd like an intimacy coordinator, she was just baffled. "They asked us if we wanted an intimacy coordinator," the former "Friends" star recalled. "I'm from the olden days, so I was like, 'What does that mean?' They said, 'Where someone asks you if you're OK,' and I'm like, 'Please, this is awkward enough!' We're seasoned — we can figure this one out. And we had Mimi there."
What happened with Alex Levy and Paul Marks?
That steamy scene between Alex and Paul — and it's definitely steamy — is just one highlight of their relationship, which serves as a central throughline during Season 3 of "The Morning Show." After meeting Paul, who's potentially interested in buying UBA (the network for which Alex is a lead news anchor), Alex is instantly attracted to him and uses that fact to help guide some of his business decisions. But in the Season 3 finale, it all abruptly unravels when it turns out that Paul simply wants to buy UBA, strip it down, and sell it for parts, invalidating Alex's entire career there. Alex and Bradley join forces to prove that Paul is using his tech company Hyperion to spy on UBA employees, and when they do, it's revealed that several of Paul's business practices are either suspect or flat-out illegal.
During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter after the Season 3 finale, showrunner Charlotte Stoudt was clear that though Paul is the antagonist, she wanted to make him attractive to both Alex and the audience to help him become a more well-rounded character. "I was always interested in making Paul Marks both good and bad," Stoudt said. "He should be like any character on this show; he has flaws, he might overstep, but also, he's a human being. So I saw him less as an antagonist on the show and more just similar to everyone else and how they operate in this world. My focus was more: Can I humanize this guy?"
Despite what Jennifer Aniston thinks, intimacy coordinators can be important
Paul Marks' time on the series is over, but Jennifer Aniston might well have a steamy scene with a totally different actor in "The Morning Show" Season 4. What do intimacy coordinators do, exactly? Well, they're there to keep people safe and comfortable while filming risqué scenes and make sure that no personal boundaries are crossed while creating a safe and accepting environment. These weren't always a factor in nude scenes, but recently, on shows like "Sex Education," the younger actors have revealed that they felt quite at ease working with a coordinator.
In a New York Times feature from March 2023, intimacy coordinator Jessica Steinrock, who's worked on shows like "Yellowjackets" and "Never Have I Ever," explained the purpose of her role on set and how it came out of recent social movements like #MeToo. "Intimacy coordinators are not a panacea for an industry that has historically abused its actors — and, frankly, historically abused most of the people in it," Steinrock said at the time. Director Karyn Kusama, who worked alongside the intimacy coordinator on "Yellowjackets," praised Steinrock for her care on set. "She's very patient," Kusama said. "She listens. She's looking to the actor to take the lead in terms of ... what will make them feel most cared for."
Intimacy coordinators might be a funny concept to Aniston (or, for that matter, on prestige dramas like "The Idol"), but many actors feel safer with them on set. Ultimately, it's up to the individual performer, but it's also not an idea that should be dismissed so easily.