Cynthia Erivo on intimacy coordinators: 'Not enough credit is given'
Synopsis
Cynthia Erivo used her London Film Festival platform to shine a spotlight on intimacy coordinators, saying ‘not enough credit is given’ to them. Her account of filming Prima Facie’s assault scene — and the gruelling process of ‘coming back’ emotionally — is a rare, unguarded look at how the profession protects performers on the most difficult sets.
Key Takeaways
Cynthia Erivo spoke at a screen talk at the London Film Festival , saying intimacy coordinators do not receive sufficient credit.
She plays Tessa Ensler , a defence lawyer who is sexually assaulted by a colleague, in Prima Facie , adapted from Suzie Miller's stage play.
Intimacy coordinator Lizzy Talbot was credited by Erivo as essential to creating a safe space for the film's most demanding scenes.
Erivo described the emotional recovery after filming the assault scene as harder than the filming itself.
The film premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and made its UK debut on Tuesday at the London Film Festival.
Cynthia Erivo has spoken candidly about the vital role of intimacy coordinators in Hollywood, saying the profession is routinely undervalued by the industry. The actress made the remarks during a screen talk at the London Film Festival, where her new film Prima Facie made its UK debut on Tuesday.
The Film and Her Role
In Prima Facie, Erivo portrays Tessa Ensler, a high-flying defence lawyer whose life is upended when she is sexually assaulted by a colleague and subsequently finds herself at the centre of a trial. The film is an adaptation of Suzie Miller's acclaimed stage play and had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival last month before arriving in the UK.
Why Lizzy Talbot Was Indispensable
Erivo credited the film's intimacy coordinator, Lizzy Talbot, as essential to navigating the project's most demanding sequences. “Lizzy, our intimacy coordinator, was really helpful with creating a space that felt very safe,” she said. “I had to understand what it was like to be in your body but not there, so finding what that looked like for me, where you’re there but you have to check out to stay safe. And that was the thing that we had to figure out, how to do that and come back safely.”
The actress described the psychological toll of shooting the assault scene in particular, noting that the greater challenge was not the filming itself but the recovery afterwards. “A lot of this was really hard to film, but the hardest thing was actually coming back from filming it. Getting your feet back on the ground, getting back into your body and finding the safest place again,” she said.
On Her Co-Star's Approach
Erivo also praised her co-star's conduct on set, describing his immediate and consistent effort to ensure a protective environment. “He from the beginning was very, very kind and immediately wanted to have a conversation about how we could be protective of one another, and how we could be helpful in those moments so that we could go as far as we needed to go and then come back again,” she added.
A Broader Industry Conversation
Erivo's remarks arrive at a moment when the role of intimacy coordinators is receiving growing — though still uneven — recognition across film and television productions globally. Critics and practitioners in the field have long argued that the profession, which emerged prominently in the post-#MeToo era, remains under-resourced and underappreciated relative to its impact on cast welfare. Erivo's public endorsement adds a prominent voice to that ongoing conversation. Prima Facie continues its festival run with wider release details yet to be announced.
Point of View
On-set therapists, trauma-informed direction — remains informal and personality-dependent rather than institutionalised. The fact that a single coordinator's presence is noteworthy enough to headline a festival Q&A suggests the norm is still the absence of such support, not its presence. As studios adapt more difficult source material, the industry's reluctance to formally mandate and credit this role looks increasingly untenable. Erivo naming Lizzy Talbot by name is itself an act of advocacy — and a quiet indictment of how rarely that happens.
NationPress
13 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Cynthia Erivo say about intimacy coordinators at the London Film Festival?
Erivo said that intimacy coordinators do not receive enough credit for their work on film sets. She made the remarks during a screen talk at the London Film Festival while discussing her new film Prima Facie.
Who is Lizzy Talbot and what was her role in Prima Facie?
Lizzy Talbot is the intimacy coordinator on Prima Facie. Erivo credited her with creating a psychologically safe environment for the film's most demanding scenes, including one depicting a sexual assault.
What is the film Prima Facie about?
Prima Facie is based on Suzie Miller's acclaimed stage play. Erivo plays Tessa Ensler, a successful defence lawyer who is sexually assaulted by a colleague and must confront the legal system she has long served.
Where has Prima Facie been screened so far?
The film had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival and made its UK debut at the London Film Festival on Tuesday.
Why does Cynthia Erivo say filming Prima Facie was especially difficult?
Erivo described the assault scene as particularly gruelling — not just to perform, but to recover from emotionally. She said the hardest part was 'coming back' after filming, getting grounded and returning to a safe mental state.
