Suranne Jones has taken on her steamiest role to date – portraying the true story of fearless Yorkshire landowner Anne Lister, who is frequently described as the world's "first modern lesbian". But luckily for Suranne, she felt an "instant connection" with her co-star, Sophie Rundle, who plays her on-screen lover Ann Walker.
The former Coronation Street star revealed that her chemistry with Sophie meant it became comfortable very quickly between the pair, as they filmed intimate sex scenes for new BBC One series Gentleman Jack, which covers just under two years of Anne's life following her inheritance of ancestral home Shibden Hall.
"We used the camera to come in on us and find intimate moments, which was really great, because we were able to just play that between us like no one else was in the room," Suranne explained to The Sun. "By the end me and Sophie were like two nans' with a cup of tea. Like, covers off, hanging out and it was great. But we needed to get to know each other to be able to do that."
© Photo: BBCSuranne Jones and Sophie Rundle shared an "instant connection"
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Suranne added: "We had a ‘chemistry read’ first and when Sophie was cast, I knew straight away, 'That’s my girl.' Mine and Sophie’s chemistry grew as you see it in real time, throughout the eight episodes."
Show creator Sally Wainwright admitted the use of an "intimacy co-ordinator" helped Suranne and Sophie perfect the intimate moments they were portraying on set. She said: "We could discuss scenes in a way that the co-ordinator just started talking about body parts and positions in a very matter-of-fact way, which just liberated us all, so we could chat very openly about stuff."
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Sally added: "That was the first thing that I thought was useful about having someone like that, as well as having us sculpt — as she calls it — the sex scenes and the positions."
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