Why ‘Anora’s’ Mikey Madison Refused to Work with an Intimacy Coordinator  

Mikey Madison, the lead of the film Anora, a Golden Globes-nominated Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, is facing backlash because she chose not to work with an intimacy coordinator. The film is about a prostitute who falls in love and marries the son of a Russian oligarch. Most films with scenes with sex and intimacy use an intimacy coordinator on set with its raunchy and steamy scenes.   Mikey Madison on Variety’s Actors on Actors with Pamela Anderson   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZOSvnOQX-s Pamela Anderson & Mikey Madison | Variety   Pamela Anderson expressed concern about the amount of nudity and sex scenes in the film, per Variety. Anderson said, “When I saw Anora, I just wanted to grab you out of there and hug you. I’ve had friends in that industry as well, and I could really relate to it. It was so emotional.”   Anderson’s concerns were well-founded, given her experience in the industry. However, fans didn’t like how Madison seemed to dismiss Anderson’s worries. She said, “For our film, it was a choice that I made; the filmmakers offered me, if I wanted, an intimacy coordinator. Mark Eydelshteyn, who plays Ivan, and I decided it would be best to just keep it small. My character is a sex worker, and I had seen Sean’s films and know his dedication to authenticity. I was ready for it. As an actress, I approached it as a job.”   The Backlash   Fans reacted negatively to Madison’s choice not to have an intimacy coordinator and to defend her choice with Anderson, per The Daily Mail. One fan wrote, “Love you Mikey, but this is a f---ing insane thing to say in front of Pamela Anderson who has suffered through sexual harassment her entire career. Like, this is not a good thing.”   Another fan agreed, “Pam looked so uncomfortable during this whole exchange. It’s good that Mikey had a great experience, but there’s a reason why intimacy coordinators are there on set and IMO shouldn’t be an option given to actors.”   However, some jumped on Madison’s defense. “She said it was a very positive experience, how is there discourse? Like, it’s already solved. She’s safe. Unharmed. No one was hurt and it affects no one else. She’s also only talking about her own self, not speaking for anyone else.”   Another fan commented in support of her, “People need to leave Mikey alone i'm so serious. If she was comfortable then what's the problem??”   The pairing of these two actresses has been receiving positive comments and is considered one of the best Variety did for the year.