Nollywood actress and filmmaker Etinosa Idemudia has offered fresh insight into how actors navigate intimate scenes on movie sets, emphasising that such moments are strictly professional and far from the emotional reality many viewers often imagine.
Speaking during a recent interview, Etinosa, who transitioned from engineering into full-time acting before rising to mainstream prominence, explained that acting requires a high level of emotional discipline.
According to her, the ability to fully embody a character and then detach from it instantly is one of the most essential skills required of any serious actor.
The actress stated that despite how convincing intimate scenes may appear on screen, they are carefully choreographed performances designed to serve the story.
She stressed that what audiences perceive as passion is actually a series of deliberate movements, angles, and cues executed under the guidance of the film’s director and crew.
“As a professional actor, you should be able to enter your character and come out of it easily,” Etinosa said. “When you hear ‘action’, you perform. When you hear ‘cut’, you detach. Kissing and hugging passionately is a performative act. It is more calculative than intimate. Even though it looks real, I do not feel anything during intimate scenes because it is a mind thing.”
She explained that professional detachment is crucial because an actor who becomes emotionally entangled with their character’s interactions risks blurring the lines between fiction and reality, a mistake that can compromise their performance and personal boundaries.
Etinosa, known for her versatility across drama, comedy, and web series, added that the craft of acting requires the kind of emotional maturity that allows performers to separate their real selves from the characters they portray.
This, she said, is especially important in Nollywood, where actors often take on demanding roles with complex interpersonal dynamics.
The actress further addressed misconceptions held by some viewers who assume that on-screen closeness automatically translates into off-screen attraction.
She clarified that the presence of cameras, lighting equipment, a technical crew, and strict directing instructions removes any notion of spontaneity or romance from those scenes.
“There is nothing private about filming,” she explained. “People think intimate scenes are emotional, but it’s not like that. There are cameras everywhere, and you’re thinking of angles, continuity, and what the director wants. It is work, nothing more.”
Drawing from her own early struggles breaking into the industry, Etinosa noted that her background in engineering helped her approach acting with discipline and structure.
She shared that the same analytical mindset she developed in her first career has proven useful in breaking down scripts, understanding character motivations, and staying mentally grounded.
Her comments also reflected a broader conversation within Nollywood about how actors prepare for roles that require physical closeness.
Etinosa’s remarks reinforce this, reminding the public that acting is both an art and a technical process.
Despite the public’s fascination with on-screen chemistry, she emphasised that professionalism remains at the core of filmmaking.
“For me, it’s simple: I’m doing my job. The moment the director calls ‘cut,’ I return to being Etinosa,” she added.
Etinosa Idemudia continues to be one of Nollywood’s outspoken voices, using her platform to demystify the realities of the industry while encouraging younger actors to approach their craft with discipline, awareness, and professionalism.