Olivia Colman Reveals How Alexander Skarsgård and an Intimacy Coordinator Helped Her Through ‘Wicker’s Steamiest Scenes

Few films this year have a premise quite as unusual as ‘Wicker’. Directed by Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson, the twisted romance stars Olivia Colman as a lonely, ridiculed fisherwoman living on the edge of a seaside village who commissions the local basketmaker, played by Peter Dinklage, to build her a husband made entirely of wicker.

That husband is played by Alexander Skarsgård, who stepped into the role after Dev Patel was originally attached. Adapted from Ursula Wills-Jones’ short story ‘The Wicker Husband’, the film premiered at Sundance in January to positive reviews and also stars Elizabeth Debicki, Richard E. Grant and Nabhaan Rizwan.

Of course, a romance with a man made of wicker comes with some unique challenges. Now Colman has opened up to Entertainment Tonight about how her co-star and the film’s intimacy coordinator, Ita O’Brien, helped her navigate the movie’s spicy scenes.

The Oscar winner has admitted she felt deeply embarrassed about filming the scenes, but credited Skarsgård’s elaborate wicker suit as an unexpected advantage in building their chemistry. She also praised O’Brien’s work, describing a good intimacy coordinator as invaluable.

Colman has explained that O’Brien’s background played a big role in making the process work. In a separate interview, she said the intimacy coordinator was a dancer in her youth and approached the scenes like dance routines, giving the actors clear steps to follow so everyone knew where they were.

Olivia Colman shares how Alexander Skarsgård and intimacy coordinator, Ita O’Brien, helped her tackle 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 spicy scenes in ‘Wicker.’ https://t.co/6HTqqfte4V

— Entertainment Tonight (@etnow) October 24, 2026

The directors, who are a married couple, would even demonstrate the choreography themselves. Skarsgård has said the scenes were shot within the first few days of production, which helped him settle into the character early.

O’Brien is one of the industry’s most established intimacy coordinators. She has been developing on-set intimacy guidelines since 2014, made her debut as an intimacy coordinator on Netflix’s ‘Sex Education’, and famously worked on ‘Normal People’.

First trailer for ‘WICKER’, starring Olivia Colman and Alexander Skarsgård. The film follows an embarrassed fisherwoman who asks a basket maker to make her a husband out of wicker. In theaters on October 23. https://t.co/GETfcWQJ12

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) July 30, 2026

The scenes reportedly evolved in surprising ways. Wilson told The Hollywood Reporter that they were originally designed mainly as comedy, but became far more sensual than the filmmakers anticipated once Skarsgård got into costume and began working with Colman and O’Brien.

The process also involved plenty of trial and error. At one point, the cast, directors, O’Brien, and cinematographer Lol Crawley experimented with different positions to figure out how to film the scenes practically, and in one take, the bed actually broke beneath Colman and Skarsgård.

Alexander Skarsgård and Olivia Colman react to seeing the viral "Wicker" popcorn bucket for the first time 🍿 https://t.co/scz6qiYm7V

— CinemaBlend (@CinemaBlend) October 15, 2026

Skarsgård’s transformation was a major undertaking. The production favored practical effects over heavy CGI, with the costume and prosthetics created with the help of 3D printing.

Speaking to Graham Norton, the actor revealed the suit took 18 months to make. He even joked that he was especially fond of the costume’s prosthetic nipples, which he later gave to the talk show host as a gift.

The film also gave Colman and Skarsgård a chance to finally share the screen. The pair previously both appeared in ‘The Night Manager’ but never had a scene together. Colman also serves as a producer on ‘Wicker’, which held its Los Angeles premiere at the Directors Guild of America on October 20. The film arrives in UK and Irish cinemas on October 30 through Black Bear.

With its strange premise, practical effects, and surprisingly heartfelt story, ‘Wicker’ is shaping up to be one of the year’s most unusual romances. Thanks to Colman’s candor, audiences now have a clearer picture of just how much care went into its most daring scenes.

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