Emily Osment says she asked for an intimacy coordinator on “Young Sheldon” because she was uneasy about filming romantic scenes with her younger costar, Montana Jordan.
Her account appears in Jessica Radloff’s new book, “Young Sheldon: The (Juicier-Than-Meemaw’s-Brisket) Inside Story of the Hit Comedy,” released October 20 by Grand Central Publishing.
Osment joined the CBS comedy during its fifth season as Mandy McAllister, the love interest of Jordan’s Georgie Cooper. Her first episode aired in January 2022.
Their follow-up comedy, “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage,” began its third season on October 8, 2026, according to CBS.
Osment Wanted Jordan to Know He Could Ask for Support
Emily Osment has revealed she requested an intimacy coordinator while filming “Young Sheldon” because of her “uncomfortable” age gap with co-star Montana Jordan:
“That made me uncomfortable. He was a baby! A baby with a mullet. So I spoke to Tim Marx, and obviously they were not able to get one that late in the day, but for the next few episodes they had one there, since the relationship between them escalates,” Osment said. “It made everything easier having one there. I think it’s something that’s really important.”
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Osment recalled that Jordan was 18 during their early romantic scenes. In excerpts published by TheWrap, she described him as sweet and worried that he might quietly tolerate discomfort.
She wasn’t sure he knew he could request an intimacy coordinator himself. She wanted him to have that option and, as she put it, to “make him comfortable.”
The Director and Writers Acknowledge What They Overlooked
Director Alex Reid admitted that the production had “totally dropped the ball.” Because the sitcom did not feature sex scenes, the crew had not anticipated needing a coordinator for kissing.
Reid remembered taking a photograph between takes of Osment and Jordan sitting in a car and looking away from each other. He associated the awkwardness with having to kiss a scene partner they had only recently met.
Osment clarified that she was accustomed to filming romantic moments with actors she barely knew.
Writer Connor Kilpatrick identified another mistaken assumption in excerpts reported by Us Weekly. Jordan had previously filmed similar scenes with Isabel May, who played Veronica Duncan, and Osment was an experienced actress. The production had assumed that experience meant additional assistance was unnecessary.
Co-creator Steve Molaro supported Osment’s right to request a coordinator. He also recalled that she eventually felt comfortable filming without one.
Georgie and Mandy’s Romance Also Raised Questions at CBS
Georgie was 17 and Mandy was 29 when the fictional characters met, although he claimed to be 21 and she said she was 25. The truth emerged, and Mandy discovered she was pregnant.
In the book, co-creator Chuck Lorre acknowledged CBS’s concerns about the storyline, according to Entertainment Weekly. Showrunner Steve Holland said the writers were uncertain how audiences would respond and debated how to present the relationship.
Mandy’s age had also been discussed before the writers settled on it. Osment recalled possibilities ranging from 27 to 35.
Jordan and Osment Continued Their Partnership in a Spinoff
Jordan told Radloff he had not given the age difference much thought at first. He acknowledged that viewers still asked how the relationship would be perceived if the genders were reversed.
His mother initially had reservations about the storyline, though those concerns eased. Jordan credited the chemistry he and Osment developed as they continued working together.
After “Young Sheldon” ended in May 2024, the actors returned as the same characters. Their spinoff premiered that October, following the couple as they navigated marriage and raising their daughter, Cece.