About Us
FAKING IT was conceived by Ariel Leigh Cohen and Morgan Smith while nerding out about spicy scenes over cocktails at a dive bar in Los Angeles, when the “we should make a podcast” virus finally caught them.
Join them as they explore intimate scenes from film and TV - the good, the bad, and the cringe!
Meet Ariel
Ariel Leigh Cohen is a podcast host, certified Intimacy Coordinator (IDC), and an Intimacy Director based in Los Angeles, known for her collaborative spirit and nuanced approach to choreographing vulnerability. Since relocating to LA in 2019, she’s found her true calling as an Intimacy Professional, committed to fostering creative environments where every intimate scene is handled with care, clarity, and cultural competence. Before stepping into intimacy work, Ariel spent seven years in New York City writing, directing, and producing original plays, and worked in Props for several Broadway shows in 2019. She made her film directorial debut in 2024 with Exhibition, a bold meditation on desire and disclosure.
Her specialties include period pieces, queer intimacy, kink, DV/Non-Consensual dynamics, and comedy (because awkward, tender, and sexy often go hand in hand). Ariel offers professional, compassionate, and culturally sensitive guidance to ensure every moment of intimacy is safe, intentional, and unforgettable.
Meet Morgan
Morgan Smith is a Los Angeles-based Intimacy Coordinator, Intimacy Choreographer, and Intimacy Consultant, and co-host of the podcast FAKING IT. Her work spans feature films, television pilots, new media, vertical dramas, student films, and theater.
Her film credits include "Find Your Friends," directed by Izabel Pakzad (TIFF Industry Select 2025, Fantasia Film Festival 2025 Official Selection), and "Nobody Moves 'til Jesus Comes" (Dances with Films 2024 Official Selection). Her theater credits include the world premiere of "JunkGirls" at the Hollywood Fringe Festival in 2021.
Morgan specializes in queer intimacy, dramedies, sci-fi, and complex or non-consent choreography. She combines consent-based practices with choreography to create environments where artists feel empowered to take creative risks, taking a trauma-informed, culturally competent, and flexible approach tailored to each production's needs.
