Emily Osment Explains Request for Intimacy Coordinator on 'Young Sheldon'
The actress cited an age gap with co-star Montana Jordan as the reason for her discomfort.
Emily Osment revealed that she requested an intimacy coordinator for kissing scenes with her "Young Sheldon" co-star Montana Jordan due to their significant age difference.
"That made me uncomfortable. He was a baby! A baby with a mullet," Osment, 34, stated in Jessica Radloff's new book, "Young Sheldon: The (Juicier-Than-Meemaw’s-Brisket) Inside Story of the Hit Comedy." Jordan, 23, was 18 when they began working together.
Osment explained her concerns to producer Tim Marx. While an intimacy coordinator could not be immediately secured, one was present for subsequent episodes as the characters' relationship progressed. "It made everything easier having one there. I think it’s something that’s really important," Osment added.
Director Alex Reid acknowledged that the production team "totally dropped the ball" by not initially having an intimacy coordinator for kissing scenes, as the show did not feature sex scenes. Reid recalled showing Osment a photo of her and Jordan sitting separately in a car between takes, noting their discomfort. "It wasn’t even about the lack of an intimacy coordinator. It’s just you’re having to make out with somebody you just kind of met," Reid said. "Obviously, they worked that out, and they have a great chemistry now, but that was kind of embarrassing."
Co-creator Steve Molaro stated that Osment had "every right to ask" for an intimacy coordinator and that she eventually became comfortable without one. Osment, who joined the series at age 30, played Mandy McAllister, an older character who develops a relationship with Jordan's character, George "Georgie" Cooper Jr.
Their on-screen romance led to a spin-off series, "Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage." "Young Sheldon" concluded its seven-season run in May 2024.