Following the controversy around Jenna Ortega's latest movie, the on-set intimacy coordinator has spoken out about how things went down.
Just in case you've been off X in the last week, the Wednesday star's latest movie - Miller's Girl - has caused a stir on social media after leaving viewers "uncomfortable" with certain steamy scenes in the movie.
Now, although many movies these days feature scenes we wouldn't want to watch with our parents, it was the age gap between 21-year-old Ortega and her co-star Martin Freeman, 52, that some viewers found "gross".
Check out the pair in action below:In the movie - which was originally penned as a play by Jade Halley Bartlett in 2011, and gained recognition when it appeared on the 2016 Black List - Ortega plays 18-year-old student Cairo Sweet, who becomes romantically entangled with her teacher Jonathan, played by Freeman.
The film delves into the intricacies of their complex relationship as student and teacher, with Cairo writing a sex story that blurs the lines between reality and fiction, mirroring her encounters with Jonathan.
However, due to the 31-year age gap between the stars - and the fact that most viewers probably know Ortega for playing the young Wednesday Addams in the hit Netflix show - some people failed to get on board with the intimate scenes in the flick.
After seeing the movie, viewers swiftly took to social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) to voice their discomfort with the intimate scenes, with one user expressing: "I think I am finally done watching these age gap movies. They are all gross, and I am tired of it. No amount of Jenna Ortega or Martin Freeman could save this one for me."
Others echoed similar sentiments, with comments like: "MARTIN FREEMAN WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO JENNA ORTEGA" and "Jenna Ortega and Martin Freeman… I’m uncomfortable"
Some users pointed out the stark age difference between the actors, with one remarking: "When Martin Freeman was in his 40s Jenna Ortega was 10 years old."
Despite the backlash from fans, Kristina Arjona - who worked as an intimacy coordinator on the movie - has assured fans that Ortega was properly taken care of with regards to the movie's raunchy scenes.
"There was many, many people throughout this process, engaging with [Jenna] to make sure that it was consistent with what she was comfortable with, and she was very determined and very sure of what she wanted to do," Arjona told the Daily Mail.
She added that at no point were any "boundaries surpassed" between the stars or those on set, and that Ortega was involved in any decision-making when it came to the scenes.
Arjona revealed that she spoke with both Ortega and Freeman about what "level of nudity" was being asked of them, and talked them through their modesty garments and any "additional barriers" required during filming.
"Part of my job too is supporting her decisions. I adapt to whatever is the comfort level of my actors, especially on a production like this where there is a large age gap between the actors," Arjona said. "I'm hyper-aware of both of my talent and making sure that we're consistently checking in and that at no point are any of their boundaries being surpassed.
"And again, making sure - especially with someone who's significantly younger - that they are giving continuous consent."
Miller's Girl in in movie theaters in the US now. No release date has been confirmed for the UK.
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