This one’s a BIG ONE.

Ariel and Morgan sit down with intimacy coordinator Chala Hunter, the creative force behind the intimacy work in Heated Rivalry, for a deep dive into how some of the most talked-about scenes on TV actually get made.

From the early days of learning the job during the #MeToo shift to stepping onto a set packed with hockey vibes, choreography, and high emotional stakes, Chala pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to build intimacy that feels grounded, safe, and electric.

They get into it all:

• How she found her way into intimacy coordination when the field was still being defined
• Why she prioritizes trust, play, and actor agency over rigid choreography
• How Heated Rivalry balanced tenderness, heat, and authenticity without losing its heart
• Why representation doesn’t have to feel “authentic to everyone” to still be meaningful
• And what happens when three intimacy coordinators get together and the nerding starts before the mics are even warm

It’s insightful, funny, incredibly revealing, and a rare behind-the-scenes look at the craft from someone doing the work at the highest level.

This one feels like a milestone episode.

Want to watch along? Our reaction covers Episode 4: Rose (Time Code: 21:07 - 24:29), Episode 6: The Cottage (Time Codes: 20:15 - 22:37 & 32:34-33:27). We cut around the clips, so it won’t sync perfectly, but you’ll absolutely get the point.

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CREDITS — Heated Rivalry

Director: Jacob Tierney
Executive Producer: Brendan Brady
Source Material: Based on the novel Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid
Intimacy Coordinator (Interview Guest): Chala Hunter
Actors (featured in discussed scenes): Hudson Williams; Connor Storrie
© Crave / Canadian Production Partners. All rights reserved.

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Legal Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are our own. This episode is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Nothing here is intended to defame, slander, or infringe upon any individual or entity. All trademarks and copyrights remain the property of their respective owners.

Some shows open quietly. Season 2 of "She’s Gotta Have It" opens with a bang — literally.

In this episode, Ariel and Morgan break down the iconic simulated sex montage from Season 2, Episode 1 of She’s Gotta Have It, focusing on how lighting, space, and who’s in control radically reshape how intimacy is experienced and understood onscreen.

They get into it all:

• How Spike Lee uses daylight vs candlelight to reflect different emotional states
• Why this scene feels devotional rather than voyeuristic
• How Nola’s relationship with Opal marks a shift from exploration to embodiment
• How choreography, hair, and stillness do as much storytelling as movement
• And why this scene quietly sets a new bar for how queer Black intimacy is filmed on television

They also discuss the evolution from the 1986 film to the Netflix series, what it means to reclaim Nola Darling’s story through a more expansive lens, and why sexually liberated queer Black women are still so rarely given this level of care onscreen.

It’s reverent, gorgeous, deeply nerdy, and a reminder that intimacy doesn’t have to escalate to be electric.

Want to watch along? Our reaction covers 1:22:10–1:29:34 of the TV show episode and 39:27-40:27 of the movie. We cut around the clip, so it won’t sync perfectly, but you’ll absolutely get the point.

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Credits — She’s Gotta Have It (Season 2, Episode 1: “#IMFEELINGMYFEELINGS”)

Director: Spike Lee
Writers: Cinqué Lee; Joie Lee; Spike Lee
Based on the film: She’s Gotta Have It (1986), written and directed by Spike Lee
Producers: Spike Lee; Win Rosenfeld; Charlie Corwin
Actors (featured): DeWanda Wise; Ilfenesh Hadera
© 2019 Netflix / 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks. All rights reserved.

Credits — She’s Gotta Have It (1986)

Director: Spike Lee
Writer: Spike Lee
Producers: Spike Lee; Monty Ross
Actors (selected): Tracy Camilla Johns; Tommy Redmond Hicks; John Canada Terrell; Steve White; Spike Lee
© 1986 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks. All rights reserved.

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Support the show

🔗 Connect & Support the Show

👀 Watch the Video Version: See our reactions! The video podcast is available on Spotify and YouTube.
💌 Suggest a Scene & Get Bonuses: Join our Patreon to request movies for us to break down and access exclusive bonus episodes. patreon.com/FakingItThePod
📱 Follow Us for Chaos: Get behind-the-scenes content and updates on Instagram @FakingItThePod
🌐 Visit Our Website: Find all our links and more at FakingItThePod.com

🎧 Subscribe for Free: Never miss an episode! Subscribe to Faking It on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app.

💬 Review Us: Love the show? Give us 5 stars! It helps other listeners discover us.

Stay real, Fakers 🫡

Legal Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are our own. This episode is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Nothing here is intended to defame, slander, or infringe upon any individual or entity. All trademarks and copyrights remain the property of their respective owners.

This episode is a love letter to immaculate choreography, devastating eye contact, and sapphic tension that could power a small city.

Ariel and Morgan dive into the two iconic intimacy scenes from Park Chan-wook’s The Handmaiden: with scenes so explicit, so intentional, and so beautifully constructed that they still feel transgressive nearly a decade later. Set during Japan’s occupation of Korea in the 1930s, the film takes familiar sapphic tropes and flips them inside out, using intimacy as liberation rather than spectacle.

They break down why these scenes work on every level:

• How the film weaponizes restraint, pacing, and POV to build erotic tension
• Why a simple hand-grip deserves its own IMDb credit
• How sapphic sex is framed as joy, discovery, and mutual power, not performance
• And why this might be one of the best examples of the female gaze in modern cinema

They also unpack the behind-the-scenes approach to filming the intimacy, the deliberate removal of the male gaze, and why The Handmaiden remains a gold standard for what intimate storytelling can look like when trust and intention lead the way.

It’s sexy, funny, deeply thoughtful, and a reminder that sometimes the most radical thing a movie can do is let women actually enjoy each other.

Want to watch along? Our reaction covers 41:47 to 46:56 and 1:39:53 to 1:44:00. We cut around the clip, so it won’t sync perfectly, but you’ll absolutely get the point.

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Credits — The Handmaiden (2016)

Director: Park Chan-wook
Writers: Park Chan-wook; Chung Seo-kyung
Based on the novel: Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
Producers: Park Chan-wook; Syd Lim
Actors (featured): Kim Min-hee as Lady Hideko, Kim Tae-ri as Sook-hee
© 2016 Moho Film / Yong Film. All rights reserved.

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Support the show

🔗 Connect & Support the Show

👀 Watch the Video Version: See our reactions! The video podcast is available on Spotify and YouTube.
💌 Suggest a Scene & Get Bonuses: Join our Patreon to request movies for us to break down and access exclusive bonus episodes. patreon.com/FakingItThePod
📱 Follow Us for Chaos: Get behind-the-scenes content and updates on Instagram @FakingItThePod
🌐 Visit Our Website: Find all our links and more at FakingItThePod.com

🎧 Subscribe for Free: Never miss an episode! Subscribe to Faking It on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app.

💬 Review Us: Love the show? Give us 5 stars! It helps other listeners discover us.

Stay real, Fakers 🫡

Legal Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are our own. This episode is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Nothing here is intended to defame, slander, or infringe upon any individual or entity. All trademarks and copyrights remain the property of their respective owners.