Rodis grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, and acted in regional and classical theatre.[1] Growing up, Alicia was often cast in more adult roles. She was aged 15 when she had an on-stage kiss, and faked an orgasm aged 18. She had mixed experiences of adult scenes, with some causing mental distress later.[2]
She moved to New York City in 2008, and became involved with the New York Shakespeare Exchange, becoming the fight director for several productions, and directing a Shakespeare-themed pub crawl in the city.[1] She has also worked with the Yale School of Drama and the Juilliard School.[3] She worked as intimacy coordinator on Season 2 of HBO's The Deuce and was the first such hire by a mainstream television network; demand for intimacy coordinators, who are tasked to ensure the well-being of actors performing in sex scenes or other intimate sequences, rose following the emergence of the Me Too movement in 2017.[4][5][6] She was recommended for the role based on her reputation, and her help was described as "a successful, positive, experience".[7]
Intimacy Directors International
Rodis is a founding member of Intimacy Directors International, an organization working towards developing standards of safety and performance for intimacy in film and on stage.[6] Along with her co-founders, Tonia Sina and Siobhan Richardson, she has witnessed inappropriate behavior on set or mishandling during scenes involving close intimacy.[2][8] Her role is to watch the scenes closely, making notes, and making sure actors are comfortable with the work required, and that nobody is physically or mentally harmed.[9] Rodis has said that there is an increased demand for this type of work.[10] In early 2020, the US actors' union SAG-AFTRA publicized a policy mandating the inclusion of intimacy coordinators.[6]
In 2018, the group performed an exhibition, #MeToo Shakespeare, explaining the importance of Intimacy Choreography.[11]