Anura Star Mickey Madison has opened up about why there was no intimacy coordinator on the set of the romantic comedy while filming intimate scenes with co-star Mark Idelstein.
The actress, who received a 2025 Golden Globe nomination for her role. Anurarecently opened up about her decision to ditch an intimate coordinator while filming the movie’s sex scenes.
“It was a choice I made,” Madison told Pamela Anderson during the episode VarietyActors on Actors series on December 17. “The filmmakers offered me whether or not I wanted to bring in an intimacy coordinator.”
An intimacy coordinator typically oversees scenes that involve nudity or simulated sex, ensuring that the choreography is respectful while advocating for the comfort of actors and crew.
However, Madison, 25, chose to keep the set intimate, allowing only director Sean Baker, his wife and co-producer Samantha Kwan, and co-star Mark Idelstein to be present during the filming.
“We were able to really smooth it out, shoot it really fast,” Madison explained.
“There are less sex scenes, more sex shots — that’s what Sean likes to say. And I think there’s humor in them as well. And so it was a very positive experience for me.”
gave Better things Elam also explained how the lack of a coordinator helped her connect more deeply with her character.
“My character is a sex worker, and so for me, I had seen Sean’s films, and I knew his dedication to authenticity—I wanted to immerse myself in that,” she said.
Anura follows the story of a Brooklyn-based sex worker who unexpectedly meets and marries Ivan (Edelstein), the son of a Russian oligarch.
Reflecting on her character, Madison said, “She kind of wears her nudity as a costume. She presents herself in such a hyper-sexualized way, because that’s how she makes her living, And that’s all she has to do, and so I think as an actress, I kind of connected with her, so I was very comfortable.”