Posted by Chinenye on Fri 24th Jul, 2026 - tori.ng
A Nollywood filmmaker has shared her thoughts on the growing debate over romance scenes in movies and their impact on actors’ relationships.
(Biodun Stephen. Photo by Nollywire)
In response to the latest controversy surrounding kissing scenes in Nigerian films, Nollywood director Biodun Stephen has stated that filmmakers and producers shouldn't be held accountable for issues in actors' marriages.
In response to recommendations that filmmakers cut back on kissing scenes because they would damage actors' houses, Stephen contended that the performers and their wives, not the producers, have this obligation.
She clarified that although kissing isn't a big part of her filmmaking style, she doesn't avoid it when a story really calls for it.
She pointed out that actors sell believability, emotion, and chemistry on screen, all of which can be accomplished with or without intense kissing.
According to the filmmaker, actors willingly choose the profession, and their partners are also expected to understand its demands.
She said that when concerns about marriages and homes come up, that responsibility rests with the actor who chose the profession and their spouse, not with her as a producer.
Stephen revealed that she respects actors who decline kissing scenes for personal reasons and has often found ways to work around such requests, though she noted that other actors are comfortable with intimate scenes.
She stressed that her job as a producer and director is to protect actors on screen, but not to safeguard their marriages, adding that she never forced anyone into the profession.
She concluded by reiterating that filmmakers have a duty to portray actors respectfully on screen, stating that she has never presented an actor in a lurid manner, as protecting them is central to her job, though preserving an actor's marriage is not her responsibility.