Jenna Ortega was 'comfortable' filming a sex scene with Martin Freeman despite their 31-year age gap, says intimacy coordinator

Martin Freeman and Jenna Ortega in "Miller's Girl."
Martin Freeman and Jenna Ortega in "Miller's Girl."Lionsgate
  • Jenna Ortega was "comfortable" filming a sex scene with Martin Freeman, an intimacy coordinator said.

  • Audiences are shocked at the 31-year age gap between the two actors in "Miller's Girl."

  • Intimacy coordinator Kristina Arjona says that "no boundaries were surpassed" during filming.

Jenna Ortega was "comfortable" while filming a sex scene with her "Miller's Girl" costar Martin Freeman despite their 31-year age gap, according to the film's intimacy coordinator.

The 2024 movie follows Ortega as Cairo Sweet, an 18-year-old student who starts a relationship with her teacher, failed author Jonathan Miller (Martin Freeman), after she writes a sex story for her creative writing assignment.

While audiences have been quick to criticize the age gap between the two actors — Ortega is 21, while Freeman is 52 — the film's intimacy coordinator, Kristina Arjona, told DailyMail.com that plenty of work went into ensuring that Ortega was happy.

"There was many, many people throughout this process, engaging with [Jenna] to make sure that it was consistent with what she was comfortable with, and she was very determined and very sure of what she wanted to do," Arjona said. "Part of my job too is supporting her decisions."

She also said there were frequent check-ins with the cast to make sure that the "Wednesday" star.

"I'm hyper-aware of both of my talent and making sure that we're consistently checking in and that at no point are any of their boundaries being surpassed," Arjona said. "And again, making sure — especially with someone who's significantly younger — that they are giving continuous consent."

Ortega and Freeman used barriers and modesty garments while filming 'Miller's Girl'

The coordinator explained that she had open conversations with Ortega and Freeman about the nudity in the film, and they discussed using barriers and modesty garments to give the pair an "appropriate distance" while shooting.

Arjona said the stars "also have the option on the day to change their mind if they don't want to do any of the elements that we've discussed."

"Sex Education" and "It's a Sin" intimacy coordinator David Thackeray spoke to Business Insider in 2022 about how sex scenes are filmed, and he said that intimacy barriers are a good way of creating space between actors.

He described them as "little pillows that you can put in between the artists," adding that the actors won't film sex scenes in front of a full crew.

"It's bare-minimum people. Once everyone's left the room, robes come off, the action begins," Thackeray said. "They call 'cut,' robes come back on, and no one is allowed in the room until the artists feel comfortable."

Business Insider contacted Ortega and Freeman's representatives for comment.

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