The Cost of Love – Episode 5: Ita O’Brien on Sex Scenes, Boundaries & Intimacy 9 March 2021
Episode 5 of The Cost of Love features a brilliant conversation with Ita O’Brien—pioneering intimacy coordinator for film, TV, and theatre. In this episode, Haley
Episode 5 of The Cost of Love features a brilliant conversation with Ita O’Brien—pioneering intimacy coordinator for film, TV, and theatre.
In this episode, Haley McGee and Ita explore the emotional, professional, and psychological dimensions of staging sex on screen. What does it cost to perform intimacy in public? How do we protect actors while telling powerful, vulnerable stories? And what can we learn from intimacy direction about our own boundaries, communication, and relationships?
This one was a joy to produce. The conversation is rich, considered, and gently radical—so our role was to hold the space in the edit. We kept things spacious and clean, with minimal interference, letting the nuances of Ita’s work and Haley’s thoughtful questions shine through.
Part of what makes this episode so special is the way it connects creative process to emotional integrity—on and off set. It’s about respect, collaboration, and the idea that intimacy, when done well, is never just physical—it’s relational.
Listen now on Apple Podcasts.
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