Nigerian actress and producer, Funke Akindele has recalled being denied major roles in movies during her upcoming days because people labelled her as “not fine.”
The mother of two revealed that she lost big roles even in Yoruba indigenous movies because of her physical appearance.
Funke Akindele shared her story in an episode of the Toke Moments podcast, hosted by media personality, Toke Makinwa, noting that producers were giving her just minor roles which made her cry.
The ‘Jenifa’s Diary’ star also narrated how her colleague, Iyabo Ojo helped her on numerous occasions whenever she had altercations with filmmakers who turned her down because of her looks.
Akindele said; “I remember people telling me, ‘You are not fine. You don’t have ass. You don’t have boobs. You will not be in this film. And, I remember crying. A lot of times I would cry, break down, get into the bathroom and cry.”
In other news…
Nigerian actress, Oyindamola Sanni, has said that when she was new in the movie industry, she rejected roles that clashed with Christianity.
She said; “While honing my skills as a newbie in the industry, I could not accept every role, because there were some roles that were against my Christian faith. Rejecting some roles as an up-and-coming actress was a challenge, but as the saying goes, ‘Do you, and the world will adjust’.”
The filmmaker also talked about her unique qualities and stated that her versatility was one of her selling points.
“I don’t have any role model, but I look up to great people who are good at what they do, such as Kunle Afolayan, Femi Adebayo, Odunlade Adekola and Funke Akindele.
“Being versatile and able to transcend times is a quality I don’t joke with. I have been working on myself to improve my skills. I have improved, and now play a wide range of roles, making me a versatile actress. I have produced nine movies so far. And, I have featured in many films as well,” she said.
