Emily Osment reportedly needed an intimacy coordinator on the set of "Young Sheldon" when things got uneasy.
The revelation appears in Jessica Radloff's new book, "Young Sheldon: The (Juicier-Than-Meemaw’s-Brisket) Inside Story of the Hit Comedy
," according to an Oct. 24 Variety report. In the book, Radloff speaks with Osment about the discomfort she felt during kissing scenes with costar Montana Jordan, who was 18 at the time, while Osment was 30.“That made me uncomfortable. He was a baby! A baby with a mullet," Osment is quoted as saying in the book about the 12-year age gap.
Why Emily Osment asked for an intimacy coordinator with Montana Jordan
"So I spoke to Tim Marx, and obviously they were not able to get one that late in the day,
but for the next few episodes they had one there, since the relationship between them escalates," the "Pretty Smart" actress, now 34, said. "It made everything easier having one there. I think it’s something that’s really important."
Cocreator Steve Molaro affirmed Osment's request for professional intervention, saying she had "every right to ask" and noted that she eventually became "comfortable without" an intimacy coordinator.
USA TODAY reached out to Osment's representative for further comment.
What is the age gap between Emily Osment and Montana Jordan?
Osment, now 34, played Mandy McAllister, the 29-year-old weathercaster who becomes the love interest of Sheldon's 17-year-old, high-school dropout older brother, Georgie Cooper Jr. (Jordan, now 23).
In "Young Sheldon," which ran for seven seasons and had 141 episodes on CBS, Mandy and Georgie eventually welcome a child. Their lives as parents play out in the series spin-off "Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage."
Mandy and Georgie's lack of intimacy on the show didn't make things any easier for the costars, as director Alex Reid said Osment and Jordan "totally dropped the ball" in the chemistry department.
"I have a photo between takes of them sitting in that car when we shot that, and they’re looking off in other directions. I showed it to Emily, and she said, 'Yeah, that was so uncomfortable for both of us, because we didn’t know each other,'" Reid said.
He added: "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. Obviously they worked that out, and they have a great chemistry now, but that was kind of embarrassing.”
What does an intimacy coordinator do?
An intimacy coordinator helps actors film intimate scenes – including kissing, nudity, and simulated sex – safely and with ongoing consent. They establish boundaries, help choreograph movements, and communicate any agreed-upon limits from the performers to the production team.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Emily Osment reveals why filming with Montana Jordan made her 'uncomfortable'
