Fans of Young Sheldon might remember the comedy for its family drama, awkward teenage years, and Sheldon Cooper’s journey toward becoming the brilliant scientist seen in The Big Bang Theory. But behind the scenes, one of the show’s storylines raised an important question about comfort and intimacy on set.
Emily Osment, who joined the cast as Mandy McAllister, reportedly requested an intimacy coordinator while filming intimate scenes with Montana Jordan, the actor who played Georgie Cooper.
The revelation comes from Jessica Radloff’s book, Young Sheldon: The (Juicier-Than-Meemaw’s-Brisket) Inside Story of the Hit Comedy, which takes readers behind the scenes of the hit CBS series.
The character becomes romantically involved with Georgie after the two meet under misleading circumstances, eventually leading to an unexpected pregnancy.
In the series, Mandy believes Georgie is 21, while he claims to be 21 despite actually being 17. Mandy also lies about her own age, telling him she is 25 when she is really 29.
Why Emily Osment wanted an intimacy coordinator
Jordan was 18 during the relevant period of filming, while Osment was 30. According to Variety’s account of Radloff’s book, Osment felt uneasy about filming intimate moments with her younger co-star and raised the issue with the show’s production team.
“That made me uncomfortable. He was a baby! A baby with a mullet. 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,” Osment is reported to have said, according to LADbible. “It made everything easier having one there. I think it’s something that’s really important.”
An intimacy coordinator helps actors navigate intimate scenes by establishing boundaries and making sure everyone involved feels comfortable with what is being filmed.
The show’s co-creator supported the decision
Although one could not be brought in immediately after Osment raised her concerns, the production arranged for a coordinator to be present for later episodes as Mandy and Georgie’s relationship developed.
“I don’t know if Montana even knew if he could ask for that. Like, let’s give him the option, too. Make him comfortable. And he’s such a sweet kid, I think he would just eat his discomfort. But I love those guys, and I’m really happy it got to the point where they were able to do that [for us].”
Steve Molaro, who co-created Young Sheldon, also addressed the situation, according to The Independent.
Molaro said Osment had “every right to ask” for an intimacy coordinator. He also explained that filming eventually reached a point where “she was comfortable without one.”