Heated Rivalry has been blowing up lately, and it’s easy to see why. The steamy queer drama is being compared to other book-to-screen adaptations of romantasy novels, especially the famously heated moments in Bridgerton. This time, though, the spotlight is on a gay couple, and the love scenes are among the steamiest on TV. The show is spicy in all the right ways, and its intimacy coordinator is now explaining how those moments come together, including what happens when actors get a little “too” caught up in the heat of a scene.
Intimacy coordinator Chala Hunter recently spoke with ELLE magazine and got right to one of the questions performers worry about most: What if I get aroused? She follows it with the rule that shapes nearly everything on set:
If you need to call a pause for any reason, including if you become unintentionally aroused, or you just need to adjust something because the placement isn’t working for you, or because you have to go pee, do it. Actors are so afraid of doing the wrong thing, or of hurting their fellow actor, or of crossing a boundary. Everyone is so deeply concerned about everyone else’s well-being.
She introduces this “free to pause” rule on day one, so nothing feels taboo. Bodies react. Nerves show up. Awkward moments happen. On a show built around queer joy and physical connection, normalizing all of that is simply part of the work.
What also comes through in Hunter’s process is her focus on psychological clarity. Before the cameras roll, she breaks down every emotional beat, every shift in the relationship and every movement the actors have consented to. That level of detail lets them step into the scene without second-guessing themselves, even when the material pushes them to their limits.
It also helps explain why the show feels expressive instead of mechanical. Heated Rivalry’s intimacy might look effortless, but the work behind it is precise. As the intimacy coordinator, Hunter relies on padded garments, alternate anchor points and carefully mapped choreography to keep everything looking natural while keeping everyone comfortable. What appears spontaneous on screen is built on a structure that protects the actors and supports the intensity of the scenes.
The pause rule is the foundation of that environment. It gives performers room to step back when a moment becomes too technical, too uncomfortable or simply too human. Chala Hunter’s reminder is consistent: speaking up is not a disruption, but is part of the craft.
And viewers are responding to the results. Heated Rivalry’s romantic moments don’t just run hot; they feel grounded and emotionally honest. That kind of honesty doesn’t appear on its own. It comes from a set where the pace can slow when someone gets pulled into the moment and needs a breath to reset.
Heated Rivalry airs new episodes on Fridays on HBO, and they then stream with an HBO Max subscription as part of the 2025 TV schedule.