Stella Damasus a seasoned Nollywood actress, has shed light on the challenges Nigerian actors face in securing Hollywood roles.
According to Damasus during a conversation with Arrow House, the major stumbling block lies in the Hollywood stereotype of Africans, which Nigerians don’t fit into. She explained that Hollywood filmmakers often expect Africans to have East African accents and a specific skin tone, similar to Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o.
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Damasus shared her experience, stating that Hollywood filmmakers have expressed preferences for actors with certain characteristics. “We want an African to be very dark… That’s the kind of African that we are used to,” she quoted them as saying. She also highlighted the accent barrier, noting that most Nigerian actors don’t fit the Hollywood mold.
The actress pointed out that Nigerian actors who have succeeded in Hollywood were often raised abroad, which has helped them adapt to the industry’s expectations. Damasus emphasized the diversity of Africa, comprising many countries with different dialects and accents. “How do you think Africans sound?” she questioned. “Because Africa is full of a million and one countries. And inside those countries, we have different dialects and different accents.”
