"I GO ON MY KNEES AND PRAY BEFORE I KISS ON SET"– ACTOR DANIEL ETIM-EFFIONG.

Nollywood actor and filmmaker Daniel Etim-Effiong has opened up about his approach to filming romantic scenes, revealing that he prays before every intimate moment on set. He said his faith keeps him grounded despite the demands and temptations of his profession.

The actor, who made his directorial debut with The Herd, explained that before shooting any romantic scene, he seeks divine guidance, describing the act as part of his worship.

“I get all my inspiration from God,” Etim-Effiong said during an interview on Channels TV’s Rubbin’ Minds. “I go on my knees and pray before I go to set and kiss.”

Etim-Effiong, who has faced public criticism for his romantic roles especially after a viral scene in Summer Rain where he kissed actress Bolaji Ogunmola clarified that his focus remains on storytelling, not controversy.

“The fact that I play a lot of romantic roles means I get to have kissing scenes sometimes. But the question should go to the producers, why are they expressing affection only one way? There are other ways to show intimacy,” he said.

The 37-year-old actor, who left a successful career in engineering to pursue acting, said his decision was driven by purpose and faith.

“My family is my garden, then my work. Acting feels like a calling to me, a way to worship through storytelling,” he added.

Speaking further, the actor explained that producers often include romantic scenes in movies because of audience preference.

“The average Nollywood script says, ‘kiss passionately,’ because that’s what sells. But I believe there are braver ways to explore affection on screen,” he said.

Despite the attention his roles attract, Etim-Effiong maintained that faith, focus, and family remain his guiding principles.

“When you’re a focused person, you don’t let naysayers get to you,” he said. “You just do your job and move with purpose.”

Nollywood Star Daniel Etim-Effiong Reveals How a Breakup Led Him to His Wife

Popular Nollywood actor Daniel Etim-Effiong has shared the unexpected twist that led him to marry his wife, Toyosi, after a previous relationship ended.

In a recent conversation with media personality Chude Jideonwo, Etim-Effiong revealed that he had proposed marriage to his then-girlfriend, but she turned him down. At the time, they were both living in South Africa.

"I was at a point in my life where I was tired of casual relationships and ready to settle down," he said. "I told my girlfriend I was ready to get married, but she wasn’t. She had plans to pursue graduate studies in the U.S. and didn’t want to be, in her words, 'tied down.' I was disappointed. I felt like we could still build a life together."

Following the breakup, Etim-Effiong returned to Nigeria to work on a new project—where fate had other plans. His soon-to-be wife, Toyosi, was the production manager on the same set.

“We had been talking before, but we met properly in Nigeria,” he said. “It was her first job back home after moving from New York. We had a long conversation, and I told her I really wanted to get married. She simply said, ‘Let’s do it.’”

Etim-Effiong and Toyosi tied the knot in November 2017, just a year after meeting in Nigeria. They welcomed their first child, a daughter, in January 2019.