Girls making a comeback with a cultural resurgence, Allison Williams is reflecting on how filming the hit HBO series might have been different under today’s standards. The actress, known for playing Marnie Michaels during the show’s six-season run from 2012 to 2017, shared that having an intimacy coordinator would have made a big difference on set.
“It would have been so great, because we had so many [intimate] scenes to prep and work through,” Williams said during an appearance on the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast.
“It would have been great to have someone who’s like department head of [intimate] scenes.”
She recalled one particular moment from the Season 4 premiere, when Marnie’s character shared a highly intimate scene with boyfriend Desi, played by Ebon Moss-Bachrach.
“I have this picture of Lena and [EP Jenni Konner] acting out the moment, and I have a picture of them where I think it’s Jenni is leaning over a windowsill and Lena is leaning behind her like smiling being like, ‘This is what we picture,’” Williams explained.
“And I was like, ‘Great!’ But they were busy. That should have been someone else’s job.”
The introduction of on-set intimacy coordinators became standard at HBO the same year Girls wrapped, starting with The Deuce in 2017. Since then, Williams has had the chance to work with intimacy coordinators on other projects and spoke about the positive impact they’ve had.
“By the time everyone shows up to do it, none of that is being litigated on that day,” she shared.
“You already know what you’re wearing for your covering, what the rules are, if your co-star feels comfortable with a certain type of [intimate action] or not. So you’re all just ready to go, and it’s so nice.”
Williams’ reflection highlights how industry practices have evolved to better support actors and ensure everyone’s comfort during challenging scenes.