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‘Young Sheldon’ Actress Reveals Why Filming With Co-Star Made Her ‘Uncomfortable’

Emily Osment revealed that “kissing scenes” on the hit series needed intervention.

Young Sheldon star Emily Osment detailed her discomfort with the “escalating” romance between her character and her younger co-star, Montana Jordan.

Osment, 34, starred alongside Jordan, 23, in the series from 2022 until the show ended in May 2024. In a Variety excerpt of the new book, Young Sheldon: The (Juicier-Than-Meemaw’s-Brisket) Inside Story of the Hit Comedy, by Jessica Radloff, the author reveals that then 30-year-old Osment wanted an intimacy coordinator for kissing scenes with 18-year-old Jordan.

“That made me uncomfortable. He was a baby!” Osment told Radloff for the book. “A baby with a mullet.”

“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,” she also recalls. “It made everything easier having one there. I think it’s something that’s really important.”

The actress, who is also known for her roles on Hannah Montana and Young and Hungry, added that Jordan may not have known to ask for the resource.

“Let’s give him the option, too,” she added. “Make him comfortable. And he’s such a sweet kid, I think he would just eat his discomfort. But I love those guys, and I’m really happy it got to the point where they were able to do that [for us].” The Big Bang Theory prequel spinoff ran for seven seasons before concluding in 2024.

Jordan played George “Georgie” Cooper Jr., the older brother to the main Big Bang Theory character, Sheldon Cooper. Osment played Cooper’s wife on the series, which regularly earned positive reviews and earned CBS its biggest comedy premiere in four years in 2017. It also became a streaming hit.

Young Sheldon director told Radloff the crew “totally dropped the ball” on the show’s intimate scenes. “I have a photo between takes of [Osment and Jordan] sitting in that car when we shot that, and they’re looking off in other directions. I showed it to Emily, and she said, ‘Yeah, that was so uncomfortable for both of us, because we didn’t know each other,’” he recalled.

“It wasn’t even about the lack of an intimacy coordinator. It’s just you’re having to make out with somebody you just kind of met,” Reid added.

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The experience improved, as the on-screen couple went on to play romantic interests and then spouses for three seasons.

Reid said they didn’t expect to need a coordinator, since the show didn’t feature any sex scenes. “Obviously they worked that out, and they have a great chemistry now, but that was kind of embarrassing.”

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Eboni Boykin-PattersonEntertainment Reporter

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