Veteran Nollywood actress, Stella Damasus, has opened up about the hurdles Nigerian actors encounter when trying to break into Hollywood.
Speaking in a recent interview with Arrow House, Damasus noted that the primary obstacle lies in the rigid stereotypes Hollywood holds about Africans — expectations that often do not align with how Nigerians speak or look.
She revealed that casting directors typically envision Africans with East African features and accents, referencing the preference for traits associated with Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o.
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Damasus recounted interactions where filmmakers explicitly expressed their desire for specific physical characteristics. “We want an African to be very dark… That’s the kind of African that we are used to,” she recalled being told. She added that accent differences also contribute to the rejection of many Nigerian actors who don’t fit this narrowly defined image.
She further explained that Nigerians who have managed to secure roles in Hollywood were largely raised abroad, which made it easier for them to meet the industry’s expectations.
Drawing attention to Africa’s vast cultural and linguistic variety, Damasus challenged the stereotypical assumptions. “How do you think Africans sound?” she asked. “Because Africa is full of a million and one countries. And inside those countries, we have different dialects and different accents.”
