Actor James Gardiner has shared the story of his first on-screen kiss during an interview on YFM’s Dryve of Ur Lyfe with J.O.E.L.
He recounted, “At my very first audition, I had to kiss this mixed-race girl. After that experience, I realized I could actually do this job. In the scene, I was playing a guy trying to charm a woman who was acting hard to get, and eventually she gives in.”
James said the audition went well, earning him three script offers right afterward. “Maybe I did something right from the start,” he added. He also noted that he never saw the girl again, so he doesn’t know whether she liked the kiss.
He recalled another early, nerve-wracking moment in his career when he had to kiss popular Nollywood actress Tonto Dikeh in a movie.
“My best onscreen kiss was with Tonto Dikeh. It was only my second time on set, and I was shocked because she was someone I used to watch on TV and fantasize about. Then suddenly I was cast in a romantic role with her—several scenes, not just one.”
“At first, I didn’t know how to approach her—whether to hold her by the back, waist, or shoulders. The director sensed my discomfort, pulled me aside, and said, ‘You have to make this look professional. We’re paying both of you, so deliver.’ After that, I went back and made them proud. That was my first serious kissing role.”
James added that although he has done a number of kissing scenes since, he can’t pick a favorite because he’s always fully immersed in the moment, focused on the performance.
