Actor Jim Iyke has finally addressed the viral birthday message he wrote to fellow Nollywood star Kate Henshaw that got people talking days ago.
The Nollywood bad boy set social media on fire on Sunday, with a raw, profanity-laced, yet strangely touching open letter to fellow actor Kate Henshaw on her birthday. This came after the actress turned 54 on Saturday, July 19.
Jim Iyke’s post, which opened with a bold “F**k you, Kate,” was anything but your typical birthday message.
In the brutally honest piece, Jim Iyke recalled how Kate looked out for him as a struggling 23-year-old, giving him heads-up on auditions, slipping him transport money, and generally acting like a big sister, even when he wished for something more.
When Kate eventually moved on and married someone else, he admits he wasn’t fazed but felt proud when she had a beautiful child from the union.
In a recent chat on Accra-based 3FM, Jim, while addressing the controversial post said the message came straight from the heart and had nothing to do with romance. According to him, Kate is one of the few people in his life he can be completely honest with no filters, no judgment. In his words:
“I rarely speak words I don’t mean, rarely. I’m bound to words I speak. I’ve known this person for over two decades. There’s nothing sexual about it…
In simple lingo, This is my boy, my real G. She’s that person I can call and be completely vulnerable with, and I won’t feel judged. That kind of bond doesn’t need to be romantic to be powerful.”
Jim also made it clear he wasn’t trying to impress anyone with the message. He simply wanted to celebrate a friendship that has spanned over two decades.
Social media had gone wild at the time, with many reading romantic meanings into the post.
WITHIN NIGERIA reports that, Jim Iyke and Kate Henshaw have both been titans in Nollywood since the early 2000s. While their on-screen chemistry in past films has often sparked rumours, neither star has ever confirmed anything beyond friendship.
With this latest interview, Jim seems to be shutting that door for good.