Faking It with Ariel and Morgan

Moonlight intimacy scene breakdown from intimacy coordinators: first kisses, hand in the sand, and the softest head cradling in cinema. An intimacy coordinator's take on queer intimacy, masculinity, vulnerability, and making simulated sex feel beautifully human. This week we're breaking down two pivotal intimacy scenes from Moonlight (2016), Barry Jenkins' Oscar-winning exploration...

Carrie shower scene breakdown from intimacy coordinators: first periods, body horror, the male gaze, and a whole lot of plasma. An intimacy coordinator's take on nudity, vulnerability, bullying, and how the same iconic scene has changed over 50 years. This week, we're breaking down the infamous shower scene from Carrie (1976), the 2013 remake, and the 2026 Netflix series. We're talk...

American Psycho intimacy scene breakdown: chainsaws, sex workers, modesty garments, and a very confused Patrick Bateman. An intimacy coordinator's take on satire, simulated sex, and making the absurd feel intentional This week we cover Patrick Bateman's two infamous intimacy scenes with Christy and Sabrina, including the iconic mirror moment and that very memorable chainsaw chase. We get...

Hacks intimacy scene breakdown: nudity, nightmares, a fake lesbian relationship, and the intimacy coordinators behind them. An intimacy coordinator's take on comedy, nudity, and chemistry This week we cover Ava and Ruby's shower scene, Deborah's bizarre no-clothes nightmare, and that kiss between Ava and Deborah. We get into staging, body doubles, actor boundaries, power dynamics, c...

The Invite (2026) intimacy scene breakdown: Seth Rogen, Olivia Wilde, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton's sexy, cringe swinging comedy. An intimacy coordinator's take on consent, chemistry, and couple swapping This week on Faking It, intimacy coordinators Morgan Smith and Ariel break down The Invite (2026), Olivia Wilde's A24 comedy about a married couple, Joe (Seth Rogen) and Angela...

Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1 sex scene breakdown, from the vault: Edward and Bella's meadow, wedding night, and honeymoon. An intimacy coordinator's take on vampire romance We're on vacation, but this episode was too good to stay in the vault. We're revisiting our breakdown of Edward and Bella's unforgettable Twilight scenes, from that infamous meadow moment to the weddi...

Fifty Shades of Grey sex scene breakdown, from the vault: what the film gets wrong about BDSM. An intimacy coordinator's take on consent and power dynamics In their PLAYBACK series, the cohosts revisit two fan-favorite episodes from The Hoa Hoa Universe while Ariel and Morgan take their summer break. They’ll be back in September with new episodes of Faking It. Ariel and Morgan break down the...

Off Campus sex scene breakdown: is it really the greenest green flag on TV? An intimacy coordinator's take on consent as chemistry Consent can be hot. Who knew? (Us. We knew.) What starts as a classic hockey romance somehow turns into one of the healthiest, hottest conversations about intimacy we've seen on screen. Together, Ariel and Morgan discuss why this scene works so well, how cons...

Obsession (2025) intimacy scene breakdown with the film's intimacy and stunt coordinator, Jen Albert: its most disturbing intimacy, violence, and non-consent scenes. An intimacy coordinator's take on horror and non-consent Together, they explore how Obsession evolved from script to screen, where the line between stunt coordination and intimacy coordination begins and ends, and why one of...

Steven Canals, co-creator of Pose, breaks down the historic Pray Tell and Ricky love scene from Season 2, Episode 8, "Revelations." Two intimacy coordinators discuss. This Pride Month, we're joined by Emmy-nominated and Peabody Award-winning creator and showrunner Steven Canals to break down one of the most intimate scenes from POSE. Together, we discuss how the scene evolved from s...

Sense8's cluster orgy from the finale special is one of the most ambitious intimacy sequences ever filmed. Two intimacy coordinators break down the choreography, consent, and craft. This week, we have a BONUS EPISODE! Ariel and Morgan dive into the legendary cluster orgy from the Sense8 finale special and unpack why it remains one of the most ambitious intimacy sequences ever filmed. From cho...

This episode we're breaking down one of the most ambitious sex scenes ever put on television. We're diving into Sens8, the Wachowskis' globe-spanning Sci-Fi drama that somehow turns a psychic orgy into one of the most sensual scenes we've ever covered. From gym workouts and hot tubs to morning cuddles and group intimacy across continents, we're unpacking what makes this se...

Dicks: The Musical has a twin incest sex scene scored like an opera. Two intimacy coordinators break down the unhinged A24 musical. Full description: Megan Thee Stallion. Nathan Lane. Puppet penises. A gay sex scene between twins that somehow becomes a camp masterpiece. Dicks: The Musical is absurd, offensive, and genuinely hilarious. We go behind the scenes that are not safe for work, unless your...

Secretary (2002) has the sexiest no-contact scene in film history. Two intimacy coordinators break down the BDSM cult classic that still sparks debate. Full description: Maggie Gyllenhaal. James Spader. A desk. And a worm that somehow becomes the hottest moment in the movie. Secretary changed how Hollywood talked about kink on screen. But does it hold up? Ariel and Morgan break down the iconic, co...

Brokeback Mountain changed queer cinema forever. Two intimacy coordinators break down the tent scene, the reunion, and what works. Full description: Brokeback Mountain changed queer representation forever. It also left us with a lot of questions about how these scenes actually function. From the infamous first tent scene to the long-awaited reunion, we break down what's working, what's n...

PEN15 captures the chaos of discovering desire with no roadmap. Two intimacy coordinators break down the painfully accurate first arousal scene. Full description: PEN15 (Season 1, Episode 3: "Ojichan") is one of the most honest depictions of first arousal ever put on screen. From the very first moment of "wait... what is happening to my body?" to the full spiral of can't-s...

Buffy and Spike's season 6 sex scenes are messy, chaotic, and logistically confusing. Two intimacy coordinators break down the iconic "Smashed" house scene. Full description: The Buffy reboot isn't happening. We're devastated. So naturally, we need to talk about Buffy and Spike in season 6 — where things are darker, messier, and include a whole lot more property damage. Fr...

Barbarella is a sci-fi cult classic where Jane Fonda defeats a villain using an orgasm machine. Two intimacy coordinators break down the chaos. Full description: Jane Fonda strips out of a spacesuit in zero gravity. Later, she defeats a villain using an orgasm machine. Yes. Really. Barbarella (1968) is one of the most bizarre and brazen films of a generation. Two intimacy coordinators break down h...

Booksmart proves awkward queer intimacy doesn't need to be polished to be powerful. Two intimacy coordinators and author Brooke M. Haney break it down. Full description: This one's about awkward first times. Skinny jeans. Bad geometry. Zero game. Ariel and Morgan sit down with intimacy coordinator and author Brooke M. Haney to break down the chaotic, vulnerable, and surprisingly tender h...

Insecure Season 4 has two wildly different intimacy moments: a jealousy-fueled nightmare and a tender reunion. Two intimacy coordinators break down the range. Full description: Insecure has range. Chaotic fantasy. Tender reunion. Sometimes in the same season. Morgan introduces Ariel (who has never seen the show) to two wildly different intimacy moments from Season 4: one jealousy-fueled nightmare...

Heated Rivalry's intimacy coordinator Chala Hunter breaks down how the show's most talked-about scenes got made. Two intimacy coordinators sit down with her. Full description: This one's a BIG ONE. Ariel and Morgan sit down with intimacy coordinator Chala Hunter, the creative force behind the intimacy work in Heated Rivalry, for a deep dive into how some of the most talked-about sce...

She's Gotta Have It Season 2 opens with a queer Black intimacy montage that demonstrates how to film a great sex scene. Two intimacy coordinators break down why. Full description: Some shows open quietly. Season 2 of She's Gotta Have It opens with a bang — literally. Ariel and Morgan break down the iconic simulated sex montage from Season 2, Episode 1, focusing on how lighting, space, an...

biThe Handmaiden has two of the most iconic sapphic sex scenes in modern cinema. Two intimacy coordinators break down why they still feel transgressive. Full description: This episode is a love letter to immaculate choreography, devastating eye contact, and enough sapphic tension to power a small city. Ariel and Morgan dive into the two iconic intimacy scenes from Park Chan-wook's The Handmai...

Fifty Shades of Grey's Red Room scene promised mainstream BDSM and delivered confusion. Two intimacy coordinators break down why it falls flat. Full description: We're kicking off the new year by finally stepping into the Red Room and immediately asking some hard questions. In this episode, Ariel and Morgan break down the infamous first Red Room scene from Fifty Shades of Grey. What was...

Heated Rivalry is the gay hockey romance that set the internet on fire. Two intimacy coordinators break down why the sex scenes feel so different. Full description: We heard you. LOUDLY. In this very special holiday Bonus Episode, Ariel and Morgan dive headfirst into Heated Rivalry, the wildly requested gay hockey romance that dropped on November 28 and immediately set the internet on fire. Based...