Nollywood filmmaker, Biodun Stephen, has rejected suggestions that romantic scenes in films contribute to the collapse of actors’ marriages, arguing that both actors and their partners are fully aware of the realities of the profession before making such commitments.
Stephen made the remarks in a video posted on Instagram late Thursday while responding to comments from a young woman who claimed that filmmakers should reduce kissing scenes because they could negatively affect the marriages of actors.
“I just watched a video. There’s this young lady who always has something to say about Nollywood. Nobody is even casting her, but she said producers should take it easy on having actors kiss because we are possibly ruining their marriages,” she said.
The filmmaker stated that she found the argument difficult to understand, emphasizing that kissing has never been a significant feature of her filmmaking approach. She explained that although she intentionally minimizes intimate scenes to ensure her movies remain suitable for family audiences, she is willing to include them whenever the storyline demands.
“I don’t even know how to address this. Kissing is not a big part of my craft, not because I don’t enjoy a little romance and ashewo things in my films. But I want films you can watch with your children, which is why I sort of limit it. That does not also mean that if an opportunity comes, I won’t embrace it,” she said.
Stephen further stressed that expressing love and emotion is central to an actor’s role, noting that compelling performances often encourage audiences to become emotionally invested in on-screen relationships, regardless of whether kissing is involved.
“One of the things we are selling as actors is emotions and love. When people believe in that storyline, they start rooting for the love. That can be done with or without intense kissing,” she added.
According to the filmmaker, the responsibility for navigating romantic scenes rests with actors and their spouses, who should have already accepted the nature of the profession before entering into marriage.
“I think that responsibility is on the actor who has chosen this profession and on the spouse who has accepted that their spouse is an actor. They must have made their peace with it,” she said.
Stephen also pointed out that while some actors refuse to perform romantic scenes because of personal convictions, others have no objections. She maintained that producers have a duty to protect actors during such scenes rather than interfere with their personal relationships.
“There are actors who have said they can’t participate in romance because of personal beliefs, and there are actors who do not mind. So whether you are kissing or being intimate, my job as a movie producer is to protect you. My job is not to break your home,” Stephen concluded.
