KEY POINT
- Emily Osment, who plays Mandy McAllister, said Jordan’s age made her uncomfortable during their early kissing scenes.
- Director Alex Reid acknowledged that the production had failed to arrange an intimacy coordinator initially but later introduced one for subsequent episodes.
- Osment wanted Jordan to have the opportunity to feel comfortable during intimate scenes as their characters’ relationship developed.
Osment discussed the experience in Jessica Radloff’s book, Young Sheldon: The (Juicier-Than Meemaw’s Brisket) Inside Story of the Hit Comedy. The actress, now 34, explained that Jordan was considerably younger than her when they began portraying a romantic couple on screen.
“That made me uncomfortable. He was a baby! A baby with a mullet,” Osment said, describing her reaction to filming with Jordan, who is now 23.
Osment was 30 when she joined Young Sheldon as Mandy McAllister, an older weather forecaster who develops an unexpected relationship with Jordan’s character, George “Georgie” Cooper Jr. Jordan was 18 at the time.
Rather than keeping her concerns to herself, Osment approached producer Tim Marx about arranging an intimacy coordinator. Although the production could not secure one immediately, the team arranged for a coordinator to be present during subsequent episodes as the characters’ relationship progressed.
Osment’s request was not solely about her own experience. She also wanted to ensure that Jordan understood he could express discomfort and request support during scenes involving physical intimacy.
“Like, let’s give him the option, too. Make him comfortable,” she said.
The actress described Jordan affectionately, suggesting that his considerate nature might make him reluctant to voice concerns himself. She also expressed appreciation that the production eventually provided the support they needed.
Her comments highlight an important distinction in filming romantic scenes: actors can portray a convincing relationship without necessarily feeling comfortable performing intimate moments with someone they have only recently met.
Director Alex Reid admitted that the production had initially overlooked the need for an intimacy coordinator because the CBS comedy did not feature sex scenes.
“We totally dropped the ball,” Reid acknowledged.
Reid also recalled a moment from filming a scene in a car, where Osment and Jordan appeared to be looking in different directions between takes.
When he showed Osment the photograph, she explained that the situation had felt uncomfortable because the actors did not know each other well.
Reid subsequently clarified that the awkwardness was not necessarily caused by the absence of a coordinator. Instead, he noted the inherent discomfort of having to kiss someone with whom an actor has only recently become acquainted.
He added that the performers eventually developed strong chemistry, describing the earlier situation as embarrassing in retrospect.
Co creator Steve Molaro supported Osment’s decision, saying she had “every right to ask” for an intimacy coordinator. He also noted that she eventually became comfortable filming without one.
Young Sheldon ran for seven seasons, from September 2017 to May 2024. The sitcom followed the childhood of Sheldon Cooper, the socially gifted young scientist introduced in The Big Bang Theory.
Georgie and Mandy’s relationship eventually became the foundation for the spin-off Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, extending the characters’ story beyond the original series.
Osment’s account offers a behind the scenes perspective on how the production handled its evolving romantic storyline. It also explains why she wanted both performers to have a say in how their kissing scenes were filmed.
