The topic of Saga Adeolu onscreen kiss moments might sound like something light or even glamorous at first. I mean, that’s how it’s usually presented, right? Two actors, soft lighting, music swelling in the background—it’s supposed to feel romantic. Effortless. Maybe even a little magical.
But according to Saga Adeolu, the reality behind those scenes is… not quite that.
Speaking on the Nolly Icons Podcast, Saga didn’t sugarcoat his experience. In fact, he was pretty blunt about it. And honestly, the way he described it makes you pause a bit and rethink everything you assumed about those moments on screen.
“It’s Weird”—Not Romantic Like You Think
Saga made it clear that kissing on set isn’t something actors naturally enjoy. If anything, he described it as uncomfortable—awkward, even. And maybe that’s not surprising when you really think about it.
You’re not kissing someone you have a personal connection with. There are cameras, crew members, directors watching. Sometimes multiple takes. It’s not exactly an intimate setting.
He mentioned that he’s never actually had what he would call a “good” onscreen kiss. Not once. Which feels a little surprising, considering how many romantic roles actors tend to take on. You’d assume at least one moment would stand out as… decent, at least.
But no. According to him, it’s just strange. The physical closeness, the idea of “someone invading your space,” as he put it—it’s not natural. And the detail about saliva? That part stuck. Maybe more than it should have.
It kind of strips away the illusion.
Acting vs Reality: Doing It for the Story
One thing Saga kept coming back to was intention. He said actors aren’t doing these scenes because they enjoy them. They’re doing it because the script demands it. Because the story needs it.
And that distinction matters.
There’s this assumption—maybe an unfair one—that actors are comfortable with everything they portray. That if they’re kissing someone on screen, they must be fine with it, maybe even enjoying it. But Saga pushed back on that idea pretty strongly.
To him, it’s work. Just another part of the job. Not necessarily a pleasant one, but a necessary one in certain cases.
He even admitted that if he had full control, he would probably avoid kissing scenes altogether. Which… says a lot. Especially in an industry where romance is such a big part of storytelling.
At the same time, he didn’t come across as complaining. More like explaining. Clarifying something people often misunderstand.
When the Scene Gets Repetitive
One part of his story that stood out—maybe because it felt almost unreal—was when he talked about having to kiss multiple actresses in one day. Four, to be exact.
Four different people. Same kind of scene. Same level of intensity, probably.
It sounds exhausting when you think about it. Not physically, necessarily, but mentally. Having to switch that level of closeness on and off, repeatedly, with different people—it’s not something most people can relate to.
And maybe that’s why it seems so easy from the outside. Because we only see the final version. The polished scene. Not the repetition, the awkward pauses, or the discomfort in between takes.
There’s a lot happening behind the scenes that never makes it to the screen.
Maybe Actors Deserve a Bit More Credit
Towards the end of his comments, Saga made an interesting point. He suggested that actors should actually be commended for doing these kinds of scenes, rather than judged.
It’s a perspective you don’t hear very often.
Usually, conversations around onscreen kissing lean more toward criticism or assumptions. People question boundaries, speculate about relationships, or just treat it as entertainment without thinking much about the process behind it.
But hearing it from someone who’s actually been in those situations adds a different layer. It makes you realize that what looks simple—or even glamorous—is often anything but.
And maybe that’s the takeaway here. Not that kissing scenes should disappear, or that actors should refuse them outright. But that there’s more to it than what we see.
A bit more discomfort. A bit more professionalism. And probably a lot less enjoyment than people imagine.
It doesn’t ruin the magic of movies, exactly. But it does make you look at them a little differently next time.
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