In a recent episode of the Aki Linnanahde Talk Show podcast, Finnish actor Tero Tiittanen, known for his role as Sergei Kuula in the series 'Salatut elämät', shared insights into the challenges of filming intimate scenes. Tiittanen reflected on the comfort he felt acting alongside Sara Parikka, who plays Peppi Puolakka in the series, as they were good friends in real life. However, he admitted that their friendship made it somewhat difficult to portray the romantic closeness required in their scenes together.

Tiittanen provided a striking metaphor to describe the experience of filming these intimate moments, likening it to "kissing a pencil". He emphasized that the scenes lacked the genuine feelings of love or attraction that might typically accompany such interactions, which made the task more complex. Instead of relying on actual romantic feelings, Tiittanen mentioned that he would recall his own past experiences of genuine love to bring authenticity to the performances.

This discussion reveals the unique challenges faced by actors in portraying romance on-screen, particularly when they share a strong platonic friendship off-screen. Tiittanen's reflections highlight the intricacies of acting, where personal emotions and professional portrayals often intersect, forcing actors to navigate between real-life friendships and the demands of their roles on the set.