Arsema Thomas has spoken out about the importance of an intimacy coordinator in the Bridgerton prequel when she appeared on the cover of Cosmopolitan.
The star plays young Lady Agatha Danbury in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, which focuses on the young Queen Charlotte’s rise to fame and power.
Arsema, 28, who uses she/she pronouns, described the raunchy scenes as a “dance” and stressed the importance of an intimacy coordinator.
The introduction of intimacy coaches has sparked much debate after she rose to prominence in Bridgerton, with Arsema speaking out on the issue.
She said, “The role of an intimacy coordinator was super important. It’s important overall, but it was super important for the work we were doing because the whole season is quite sensual because it appeals to all five senses.
‘It’s beautiful to watch it as a choreographed dance’: Arsema Thomas has spoken out about the importance of an intimacy coordinator in the Bridgerton prequel as she appears on the cover of Cosmopolitan
Importantly, the star, who plays young Lady Agatha Danbury in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story and uses she/she pronouns, described the raunchy scenes as a ‘dance’
“There’s a tactile second language in Bridgerton and Queen Charlotte so that those moments can have their weight, rather than just be sex.”
“The intimacy coordinator made it her priority to have all of our comfort in mind, but she also allowed us to see intimate scenes as different.
She continued, “It’s beautiful to watch it as a choreographed dance, making it a little less awkward and more of a partnership between both actors there, it’s extremely important.”
Arsema also revealed that the intimacy coordinator is there to remind actors and actresses that their comfort is also their priority while filming.
She said, “There’s so much gray line when it comes to the body and how we feel comfortable and knowing that you’re not going to bother the director or the producer…
“Having someone there to remind you that your comfort is your priority too – not just the lines, not just the acting.
“It’s super crucial for any type of acting you can do. Because then it’s not acting. It’s just a documentary.’
Arsema, who originally planned to pursue a career in global public health, switched to acting after losing her father.
She also believed in the importance of storytelling as there weren’t many people on screen who resembled her in the early 2000s.
Arsema said, “A lot of the self-loathing I harbored stemmed from feeling like I wasn’t worthy of being heard or having a fully formed story.
“I decided that was my way of getting that back [sense of self-worth] was to participate in what I believe is the most powerful tool: storytelling.”
She took short courses at the Cours Florent in Paris and RADA, then graduated with a Masters of Fine Arts in Professional Acting from LAMDA in 2022.
Comfort: American Arsema also revealed that the intimacy coordinator is there to remind actors and actresses that their comfort is also their priority while filming
Arsema shared that early in their careers, they were in scenes without an intimacy coordinator, which left them feeling “exposed” and their acting “real.”
They added, “I’ve been in scenes before, very early on, where there was no intimacy coordinator, and I remember feeling extremely exposed in a non-artistic way.
“It made what we filmed [feel] Real. And that means somewhere on an SD card is my trauma, just archived. And as an actor it feels like you have no choice.”
Arsema further revealed that they were working in a butcher shop in Notting Hill when they found out they got the part of young Lady Danbury.
The actress said their phone was ringing in their pocket while they were cutting meat in the very lavish shop.
She said, “We can’t have that [our phones] on the [shop] floor, but I knew I would get the floor today.
“So the moment I heard it ring was the worst moment because my hands were covered in blood and guts.
‘It slipped out of my hand. I was like, ‘I have to miss this call, let me go wash my hands’. Then my agent called me [again]. It was a good day!’
The star admitted there were challenges playing Lady Danbury on the show as the character was at a different stage in life than her.
They revealed that they were tasked with being able to say words with organic confidence to make the audience believe the character’s strength.
She said, “I think for anyone who’s insecure, it’s hard to force that if you don’t feel it. I’m still growing that part of me.”
Role: Arsema further revealed that they worked in a butcher shop in Notting Hill when they found out they got the part of young Lady Danbury
Arsema teamed up with India Amarteifio, who plays Queen Charlotte, and said acting together was brilliant.
Filming for the prequel took quite a turn at one point, when the classic tunes switched to the powerful Beyoncé song Run The World during the ballroom scene.
Suddenly there was a huge dance battle and the energy in the room changed as everyone started ‘Voguing’.
Elsewhere, the star also received helpful advice from the original Bridgerton cast ahead of the prequel’s release.
However, they revealed that they try to be “chill, cute and humble.”
They said, ‘I spoke to Luke Newton, who plays Colin, and he gave me a few pointers, as did Regé-Jean Page.
“But people can only give you so much advice – I try to keep it cool and cute and humble, because you never really know how people will react.”
Classic twist: Filming for the prequel took quite a turn at one point when the classic tunes switched to the powerful Beyoncé song Run The World during the ballroom scene
Arsema also spoke about the possibility of overnight fame, revealing that she wants people to walk away “feeling” after seeing Queen Charlotte.
She opened up and said, “If the priority is to be relevant or to be the star, you’re going to be constantly hungry.” I want people to walk away with a feeling.
“There are a lot of powerful moments in Queen Charlotte, and I think if people feel something, that means we’ve done our job.”
Meanwhile, the star is aware of the age discrimination women experience in the media as they are often deemed unsuitable for certain roles as they get older.
But Arsema stressed the importance of pushing boundaries by focusing on the characters of Golda Rosheuvel and Adjoa Andoh in the Bridgerton spin-off.
They added, “This is something that is rarely done: Older women are the instigators of change and can then have a spin-off show that is solely about them.”
“It’s one of the most revolutionary things I’ve seen.”
Fame? Arsema (pictured on the show) also spoke about the possibility of overnight fame, revealing that she wants people to walk away ‘feeling’ after seeing Queen Charlotte
The actress is also an avid activist and chooses to engage in difficult conversations when it fulfills them.
Arsema said, ‘It’s the only thing you can fight for and know you’re on the right side [of history].
“The exact purpose of racism is to strip people of their humanity and uniqueness. When I saw that, it became a necessity to make [activism] part of everything I do for the rest of my life, because it fulfills me.’
Arsema Thomas is the new digital cover star, as part of an interview available in the magazine website.
View the full Arsema Thomas interview on the YouTube channel