A high-powered CEO embarks dangerous liaison in Director Halina Reijn’s erotic thriller, Babygirl.
Reijn’s film explores the complexities of power dynamics and sexuality within a professional setting as a businesswoman puts her career and family on the line when she begins a torrid affair with her much-younger intern.
On December 1, after the DGA membership screening in New York, Reijn discussed the making of Babygirl during a Q&A moderated by Director Celine Song (Past Lives). She also spoke about the film during a conversation moderated by Director Spike Jonze (Her) following the Los Angeles screening on December 21.
During the New York conversation, Reijn spoke about utilizing an intimacy coordinator to help choreograph the sex scenes.
“I as an actress have unfortunately never had an intimacy coordinator and I felt that was really bad. On Bodies Bodies Bodies there were a bit more sexy scenes and I met my first intimacy coordinator, and loved it. Just like with a fight, if you have a stunt coordinator the fight will look way more real. With sex scenes it’s the same. I love working with her [Lizzy Talbot]. I love brainstorming with her and just having, for the actress, the safety of having the conversations and that you all come on set knowing everything. I often heard on set as an actress ‘Okay, just try something else,’ and I would die of shame and fear and craziness. You can choreograph everything. I’m very much from the school — because I grew up in such extreme circumstances off the grid — that I hate chaos. I prepare like I’m a soldier, like military preparation so that you can let go in the moment. And that is what an intimacy coordinator is great for because you can create complete clarity as a starting point and then they feel free to actually let go.”
Reijn’s other directorial credits include the feature films Instinct and Bodies Bodies Bodies. She became a DGA member in 2024.