Industry star Myha'la has opened up about her changing approach to on-screen intimacy following her secret marriage to husband Armando Rivera last year. The 29-year-old actress, who plays ambitious banker Harper Stern in the hit HBO drama, now describes kissing as "sacred" and has established new professional boundaries.
A Shift in Perspective After Marriage
In a revealing interview with The Independent, Myha'la explained how her perspective transformed after exchanging vows with Rivera in 2025. "It was so bizarre," she confessed. "I've always been open and willing to try things on set. A kiss is a kiss. I'm usually really good at compartmentalising that this is work."
The actress continued: "Maybe there was something that felt sacred about kissing, like no one else can have a kiss from me." This represents a significant shift for an actress involved in some of television's most explicit scenes, including threesomes and graphic sequences involving sex toys.
Establishing Professional Boundaries
Myha'la has developed specific rules for how she's filmed during intimate moments to protect herself professionally and personally. "If I'm in motion, I say no to a wide shot that includes my head and feet – top to tail – in the same frame," she revealed. "I also say no to shooting pubic hair."
Speaking to Glamour Magazine, the actress elaborated on her first post-engagement intimacy scene: "[Kissing] was really strange. The first time I had an intimacy scene after I got engaged, I didn't want to kiss the person. I was absolutely getting my cheeks clapped, but I was like, 'No kissing!'"
The Role of Intimacy Coordinators
The Industry star expressed gratitude for the recent introduction of intimacy coordinators to film and television production. "It has given me the freedom to make my own choices," Myha'la explained, highlighting how these professionals have transformed working conditions for actors during sensitive scenes.
She anticipates that marriage will lead to more professional limitations: "Now I am married, I expect there will be more things I will say no to in intimacy scenes."
Behind the Scenes of Industry
Industry has earned a reputation as one of television's raunchiest programmes, following young graduates navigating the cut-throat world of high finance. The show depicts financial machinations by day and hard partying by night, featuring champagne, drugs, and casual sexual encounters. As one critic memorably described: "banking all day and banging all night."
Myha'la's character Harper Stern represents one of the central figures in this intense environment, making her personal boundaries particularly noteworthy given the show's explicit content.
A Secret Wedding Revealed
Earlier this month, Myha'la surprised fans by revealing her marriage to Rivera through Instagram posts showing their intimate ceremony. She wore an elegant white lace midi dress as they exchanged vows after five years together.
"One year of marriage," she captioned the post. "Sos if this is how you're finding out, promise we didn't tell most everyone." The couple had kept their union private, sharing the news only with close friends and family until the social media revelation.
An Unconventional Romance
The actress previously shared how she met Rivera during pandemic lockdowns when he sent her an Instagram DM congratulating her on Industry's debut. Initially responding with a simple thank-you, Myha'la later discovered video messages from Rivera and found him "kind of cute" after checking his profile.
What began as a proposed 10-minute Zoom interview for Rivera's journalism project transformed into a 40-minute conversation that sparked immediate connection. "We hop off, and I was like, 'Oh, I'm in love with a stranger. How weird,'" Myha'la recalled during an appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers.
After following up days later, Rivera requested her number, and the couple began a series of Facetime dates before meeting in person in early 2021. Their first hand-holding experience felt "otherworldly," according to Myha'la, and they became "inseparable from then on."
The actress's evolving approach to her craft demonstrates how personal life changes can influence professional boundaries in the entertainment industry, particularly for performers regularly involved in intimate scenes.
