Actor Rahul Kohli is stressing the importance of intimacy coordinators after Blake Lively sued Justin Baldoni for sexual harassment.
“I’ve had this happen a couple of times recently in the past, and now seems like a relevant time to bring this up. Stop asking actors or the director if we would like an intimacy coordinator present for the scene,” Kohli, 39, wrote via Instagram Story on Sunday, December 22, which has resurfaced on X. “It should just be mandatory at this point.”
Kohli, who was not a part of the production of It Ends With Us, reflected on his own experience on sets, adding, “We don’t get asked if we would like a stunt coordinators, they are always present for our safety and advice. This should be no different. And it is almost always put on the actresses like ‘I’m good without one, are you?’ Leaving them to have to either pass or speak up. F— that.”
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He concluded that not wanting to work with an intimacy coordinator is a major sign that something is wrong. “You want intimate scenes in your film/show? You hire an intimacy coordinator. If anyone has a problem working with one, they’re a walking red flag,” he wrote.
Breaking Down Blake Lively’s Accusations Against Justin Baldoni
Intimacy coordinators have been a hot topic in Hollywood recently amid attempts to make filming sex scenes feel safer on set. It was also mentioned in Lively’s lawsuit against Baldoni, 40, which she filed on Friday, December 20, after they worked together on It Ends With Us.
In the paperwork, Lively, 37, claimed Baldoni created a “hostile work environment” on set that caused her “severe emotional distress.” The lawsuit also alleged that Baldoni “ignored well-established industry protocols in filming intimate scenes, and exploited the lack of controls on set to behave inappropriately.”
“Without these protections in place, Mr. Baldoni improvised physical intimacy that had not been rehearsed, choreographed, or discussed with Ms. Lively, with no intimacy coordinator involved,” the lawsuit read. “For instance, Mr. Baldoni discreetly bit and sucked on Ms. Lively’s lower lip during a scene in which he improvised numerous kisses on each take. Mr. Baldoni insisted on shooting the full scene over and over again, well beyond what would have been required on an ordinary set, and without advance notice or consent.”
Lively specifically referenced a meeting held in January while they were still filming the movie to address her requests ahead of returning to set that included “no more showing nude videos or images of women to Blake, no more mention of Baldoni’s alleged previous “pornography addiction,” no more discussions about sexual conquests in front of Blake and others, no further mentions of cast and crew’s genitalia, no more inquiries about Blake’s weight, and no further mention of Blake’s dead father.”
After the meeting, all parties agreed to the “Protections for Return to Production” plan, which included intimacy coordinators on set. While promoting the movie, both Lively and Baldoni spoke about the need for intimacy coordinators, with Baldoni claiming to Harper’s Bazaar India that “having them on set and always in my eye line was invaluable because at any point I could look to one of them for a thumbs up, or we’d work on another approach together.”
In a statement to The New York Times on Saturday, December 21, Lively stated, “I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted.”
Everything Justin Baldoni Has Said About Working With Blake Lively
Baldoni denied the allegations against him in a statement to Us Weekly from his lawyer Bryan Freedman. The attorney referred to Lively’s claims as “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious,” while alleging she filed the lawsuit to “fix her negative reputation” and “rehash a narrative” about the film’s production.
Freedman claimed Lively made “multiple demands and threats,” which included “threatening to not show up to set, threatening to not promote the film, ultimately leading to its demise during release, if her demands were not met.”
Baldoni has been dropped by his agency WME, who also represent Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds. His “Man Enough” podcast host, Liz Plank, announced her exit on Monday along with women’s non-profit Vital Voices rescinding their Solitary Award, which Baldoni was presented with just last week.
What ‘It Ends With Us’ Cast Has Said About Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni
Meanwhile multiple costars including Jenny Slate and Brandon Sklenar have publicly sided with Lively.
“As Blake Lively’s castmate and friend, I voice my support as she takes action against those reported to have planned and carried out an attack on her reputation,” Slate, 42, shared in a statement to Today.com on Monday, December 23. “Blake is a leader, loyal friend and a trusted source of emotional support for me and so many who know and love her.”
She added: “What has been revealed about the attack on Blake is terribly dark, disturbing, and wholly threatening. I commend my friend, I admire her bravery, and I stand by her side.”
Us Weekly
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