The intimacy coach who worked on Normal People has revealed that the lead actors used “safe words” while filming the show’s controversial sex scenes.
Intimacy co-ordinator Ita O’Brien has confirmed that Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones used special tricks to make themselves more comfortable during the raunchy scenes.
Speaking to Brendan O’Connor on RTÉ Radio 1, Ita said: “What we have in place is the actors are empowered and they have the autonomy to halt the action when filming an intimate scene.”
“The actor will have a safe word to halt the action and share it with the crew and if anything happens through the take that isn’t comfortable or they need to take a break they need to call out to halt the action themselves.”
Ita also confirmed that the lead actors never touched genitals during the intimate scenes.
“If you’re doing an intimate scene the fundamental rule is never ever should their genitalia touch,” she said.
“You’ll have the actress wearing a modesty patch and the gentleman wearing a modesty pouch.”
Tonight’s episode of Normal People, which will air on RTÉ One at 10.15pm, will be the raunchiest one yet – as it features full-frontal nudity.
The show’s intimate scenes have hit headlines ever since it premiered earlier this month, and they even caused a heated debate on RTÉ’s Liveline.
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