Nollywood’s Saga Adeolu Debunks Myths Around Onscreen Romance: "Actors Don’t Enjoy Kissing on Set"

Saga Adeolu debunks the myth of onscreen romance, describing filming intimate scenes as "weird" and a purely professional responsibility.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 29, 2026, 8:25 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Vanguard News

The Reality Behind the Camera

In a candid conversation on the Nolly Icons podcast, Nollywood actor Saga Adeolu challenged the popular public perception that actors enjoy filming romantic or intimate scenes. Adeolu, who rose to fame following his stint on Big Brother Naija, described the process of onscreen kissing as "weird" and purely functional. He argued that while audiences often see a polished, romantic moment, the actors are often grappling with the discomfort of physical intimacy with a professional colleague in a highly controlled, public environment.

Professionalism Over Pleasure

Adeolu emphasized that for most professionals in the industry, intimate scenes are a responsibility to the script rather than a source of personal enjoyment. He noted that the technical nature of filming—surrounded by crew members, cameras, and lighting—removes any sense of genuine romance. "It is not something we enjoy," he stated, adding that actors carry out these actions to bring a story to life. He revealed that he has yet to experience what he would categorize as a "good" onscreen kiss, largely due to the clinical and often unhygienic-feeling nature of the task.

The Physical Discomfort of Intimacy

The actor was blunt about the sensory experience of filming such scenes, describing the "invasion" of personal space as a major deterrent. Adeolu spoke about the awkwardness of having someone else's saliva involved in a work setting, highlighting that the physical reality is far less glamorous than what appears in the final edit. He recounted a particularly taxing day on set where he was required to kiss four different actresses for various scenes, an experience he described as exhausting and far from the enviable task many viewers imagine it to be.