Share and Follow
Millie Bobby Brown is one of Hollywood’s fresh-faced elite, getting her start in the early 2010s with small appearances on shows like Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, Intruders, NCIS, Modern Family and Grey’s Anatomy. The English-born actress had her big break at just 12 years old when she portrayed Eleven in the Netflix hit Stranger Things. She immediately became a fan favorite and was thrust into the spotlight, getting modeling gigs and quickly becoming friends with many celebrities like Drake, Mariah Carey, and even her Enola Holmes co-star, Henry Cavill.
The young actress has come under fire for what some call a “diva attitude” based on some comments she has made in the past. These accusations stem from her interrupting her co-stars during interviews and appearing to be rude to several of her co-stars and cast mates, including David Harbour and Sadie Sink. Now Millie is being called out by an intimacy coordinator for some potentially questionable behavior she had while filming Enola Holmes 2.
Intimacy Coordinators Help Make Television And Film Shoots Safe
Intimacy coordinators are a relatively new concept in Hollywood, but they are becoming more common place in the movie and television industry and are used to essentially choreograph intimate scenes between actors.
Actor Paapa Essiedu, who appeared in the show I May Destroy You, which features many scenes of intimacy, both consensual and non-consensual, essentially says intimacy coordinators are on the same level as stunt choreographers.
The actor told Esquire “I honestly cannot imagine a world where you do scenes that demand this level of intimacy without an intimacy coordinator. To me, it’s insane. You would never film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon without someone on set whose job it is to make sure you don’t cut someone’s head off. I think intimacy coordinators are crucial in that same way.”
Actress Rachel Zegler echoed Essiedu’s sentiment and says she “was extremely grateful for the one we had on [West Side Story],” recalling how they helped her feel comfortable as a newcomer to the industry, while teaching those around her that have been working on sets for years.
Although, not all actors feel the same about having intimacy coordinators on set. Actor Sean Bean caused a stir with his comments regarding intimacy coordinators, saying “I think the natural way lovers behave would be ruined by someone bringing it down to a technical exercise.”
Millie Bobby Brown Was Criticized By An Intimacy Coordinator
Having intimacy coordinators on set helps make all parties involved more comfortable, and many actors and actresses seem to feel that having one on set should be necessary going forward, with many indicating that they have made things more pleasant compared to past projects they have worked on.
It seems that Millie Bobby Brown went about a particular kissing scene in Enola Holmes 2 improperly, and intimacy coordinator Jessica Steinrock called her out for her explanation of what happened while shooting that scene.
Read Related Also: Bill Bailey claims Jeremy Clarkson ‘deserved kicking’ over Meghan | Celebrity News | Showbiz & TV
Steinrock is no stranger to the industry, being one of only fifty intimacy coordinators listed on the SAG-AFTRA’s registry of qualified intimacy coordinators. She took the time to hop on TikTok to share her thoughts regarding what was a surprise kiss among co-stars.
In the clip, Millie Bobby Brown can be seen saying “I grabbed his face and kissed him, and he was like [makes a shocked face], it was so cute!” to which Steinrock says “This is not the cute story you think it is.”
She prefaces her statement by saying she loves Millie Bobby Brown, and that she is sure she and her co-star have a lot of rapport built up, but that it seems her co-star didn’t give consent to be kissed during the scene given his reaction.
Jessica Steinrock also says that “little things like this can escalate over time” and ends her statement by saying “Consent is important,” essentially highlighting the reason why intimacy coordinators on set are an important tool to keep everyone safe and comfortable.
Millie’s Fans Are Divided Over The Kiss Situation
Some of Millie Bobby Brown’s fans didn’t take kindly to Jessica Steinrock’s comments and immediately came to Millie’s defense with comments saying the kiss was likely scripted and that the pair were clearly acting in the scene.
Other comments under the original TikTok post include ones like “At the end of the day you don’t have enough context to criticize,” with others saying that it’s not a big deal and that Steinrock is blowing the situation out of proportion.
Even still, many fans agreed with Steinrock’s point of view, highlighting the power imbalance between Millie and her co-star, given that she is not only the female lead but a producer on the project as well.
Other fans also pointed out statements Millie Bobby Brown made during the rest of the interview, where she is punching her co-star hard enough for him to ask her to please stop or hit him softer, once again highlighting the need for more than just actors on set.
In an era where intimacy coordinators are being praised for their jobs, especially in projects like House of the Dragon, it is refreshing to see them becoming more commonplace and even calling out Hollywood’s elite for their inappropriate behavior.
