Actor and director Daniel Etim-Effiong has shed light on why kissing scenes are prevalent in Nigerian movies.
In a recent interview on ‘Rubin Minds’, he pinned the inclusion to audience demand and market trends, stating that producers use them because they sell. “The average Nollywood script says, ‘kiss passionately’ or ‘hug,’ and they do it on purpose because that’s what they’re selling, especially on certain platforms. That’s what the audience wants, it’s demand and supply,” he said.
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Faced with controversy over his romantic roles, particularly after a passionate kissing scene with co-star Bolaji Ogunmola, the actor noted that he focuses on his purpose and doesn’t let criticism deter him. Etim-Effiong’s wife, Toyosi, has also expressed support for his work, saying she’s unbothered by his on-screen roles.
Etim-Effiong shared that his faith guides his career choices and that he prays before taking on roles that involve kissing scenes. “I get all my inspiration from God. I go on my knees and pray before I go to set and kiss. My family is my garden, then my work. It becomes a purpose to me, and that’s why I had the courage to quit engineering, a well-paying job, to go into storytelling. It felt like a calling.”