Claire Danes Reflects on Navigating Intimacy as Young Actress

Acclaimed actress Claire Danes, now 46 years old, has opened up about the challenges she faced navigating intimate scenes as a young teenager on the hit '90s TV show My So-Called Life. In a recent interview, Danes recalled the "awkwardness" of filming kissing scenes with her 21-year-old co-star Jared Leto, who played her character's on-screen crush, Jordan Catalano.

Danes, who was just 14 when she landed the role of Angela Chase, admitted that she "didn't know how to interpret the stage directions" for the intimate moments. "I had barely kissed a boy and here I was making out with this Adonis, and I didn't even know what that meant," she told the interviewer.

Despite the significant age gap between the two actors, Danes said she never felt exploited on set, crediting the "bona fide benevolent grownups" who ensured a "very solid, sane environment." Danes' parents were also always present to protect her and make sure her needs were met.

The actress further revealed that fellow acting icon Jodie Foster, who directed Danes in the 1995 film Home for the Holidays, provided valuable guidance and advice. "She said a lot of things, but she always has urged me to advocate for myself," Danes said, adding that Foster also encouraged her to "relax."

As the entertainment industry has evolved, Danes acknowledged that on-set intimacy coordinators have become the new standard for filming romantic scenes. "How did we not have that before? I'm very for it," she said, noting that it feels "a little late" to be working with an intimacy coordinator for the first time at age 45.