Nollywood actor Jide Awobona has opened up about an uncomfortable kissing scene he had to film with an actress who had bad breath, an experience that left him running to wash his mouth immediately after the scene. The actor disclosed this during an interview with Yanga FM, where he also raised serious concerns about the health risks of kissing co-stars without prior medical screening on film sets.
An Unforgettable On-Set Experience
In the interview, Awobona revealed that while he has filmed kissing scenes throughout his career, one particular encounter with an unnamed co-star stood out for all the wrong reasons. The actor did not hold back when describing the moment, switching into Pidgin English to drive the point home: "Yes, I have done it. But if you get that kind funny odor, I go japa oo. I no fit kiss you."
When the interviewer pressed further, asking whether he had actually acted opposite someone with mouth odour, Awobona confirmed that it had happened and explained what he did immediately after: "Yes, I don act with somebody wey get mouth odor. And I go one place go wash my mouth. And the person con see me."
Health Concerns on Set
Awobona added that the experience left him genuinely worried about his health, noting that the lack of mandatory medical checks before actors share such close scenes on set is an issue worth addressing. "I just dey pray make person no go contact something because I don tire," he said.
The actor did not name the actress involved in the incident, and his remarks appeared aimed less at embarrassing anyone and more at flagging what he sees as a real occupational hazard in the Nigerian film industry.
Advocacy and Versatility
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Jide Awobona sparked a major online conversation in 2025 after transforming into a woman for his advocacy film titled Rise With Me. The filmmaker faced heavy criticism from some netizens who felt a female actor should have played the challenging character. Awobona dismissed the negative comments and noted that playing the gender-crossing role gave him an opportunity to showcase his wide acting range.
The actor's recent revelation has sparked conversation about actor welfare and hygiene protocols on film sets, with many calling for better standards in the industry.
