Emily Osment Advocated for Intimacy Coordinator on 'Young Sheldon' Due to Co-star's Age
The actress expressed discomfort filming a kissing scene with Montana Jordan when he was 18.
Emily Osment, 34, revealed she requested an intimacy coordinator during the filming of a kissing scene on "Young Sheldon" due to concerns about her co-star Montana Jordan's age at the time. Osment, who was 29 when she joined the CBS series in its fifth season, felt uncomfortable filming the scene with Jordan, who was 18. Jordan portrayed Georgie Cooper, the on-screen boyfriend of Osment's character, Mandy McAllister.
Osment shared her experience in the book "Young Sheldon: The (Juicier-Than-Meemaw's-Brisket) Inside Story of the Hit Comedy." She stated that her unease stemmed from Jordan's age, describing him as "a baby! A baby with a mullet." While she is accustomed to on-set intimacy as an actor, the age difference prompted her request.
According to Osment, show producer Tim Marx agreed to bring an intimacy coordinator on set, though one could not be present for the specific scene in question because it was too late in the day. Osment noted that the show had not previously hired intimacy coordinators. However, she stated that one was available for the filming of subsequent episodes, which she found made "everything easier."
Osment also emphasized the importance of ensuring Jordan felt comfortable and had the option to request an intimacy coordinator himself, noting that he is "such a sweet kid" and might have been hesitant to voice his own discomfort.
Steve Molaro, a co-creator of "Young Sheldon," affirmed in the book that Osment was within her rights to ask for such support. Alex Reid, the director of the episode that featured the kissing scene, acknowledged that the request had not been discussed prior to that point, as the show did not typically feature sex scenes. Reid called Osment's instinct to request an intimacy coordinator "a thousand percent right" and admitted that the production "totally dropped the ball on that."
"Young Sheldon," a prequel to "The Big Bang Theory," concluded its run after seven seasons. Osment and Jordan have reprised their roles in the spinoff "Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage," which premiered its third season in October 2026.