Veteran Nigerian filmmaker, Kanayo O Kanayo, has questioned how the industry can nurture fresh talents when producers continue to prioritize fame and physical appearance over skill.

According to him, many were unfairly labeled as “not good enough” or “not marketable,” and those judgments ended the careers of some talented actors.

“Some sponsors woke up and started branding actors: ‘this one is not a good one, this one does not sell films.’ They killed the careers of those guys,” he said.

But Kanayo believes that acting should be about skill and delivery, and not about who has the most attractive face.

He asserted that the industry cannot continue producing quality content if producers rely on such a small pool of actors who are hardly ever free.

“Some of these guys will tell you they are not free from September 2025 till August 2026. How then do we sustain the content you watch? How do we create magic? How do we encourage new actors to come into the business?” he asked.

In light of this challenge, he said, “I have decided to take my destiny in my own hands as it pertains to my platform on YouTube. Movie making is not about having a fine face, it’s about being a good actor, a good performer. So, with or without a fine face, that’s what I’ve decided to do. If you don’t like it, well, that’s quite unfortunate,” he said.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kanayo O Kanayo (@kanayo.o.kanayo)

Popular Nollywood actress and filmmaker, Funke Akindele has recounted how she was denied playing major roles during her days as a struggling thespian because people tagged her as “not fine.”

Speaking in the latest episode of the TokeMoments podcast, hosted by Toke Makinwa, Akindele said she lost major roles even in Yoruba indigenous movies because of her physique.

She recalled that actress Iyabo Ojo helped her several times during her altercations with filmmakers who turned her down because of her looks.

The ‘Jenifa Diary’ actress said producers were giving her just minor roles which made her cry.

“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,” she recalled.

“And, I remember crying. A lot of times I would cry, break down, get into the bathroom and cry.”

Similarly, Ghanaian actress Beverly Afaglo shared how difficult it was for dark-skinned actors to get roles in the movie industry when she started her career.

Speaking in an interview on Joy Learning TV, she revealed that many producers preferred casting light-skinned actors, believing they looked better on screen.

"Our time, what most of the producers were doing was, you have to be a half-cast. I think Jackie Appiah was the only person because she was a star already so they needed her.

"Producers thought light-skinned actors looked better on TV. As a result, most of them preferred casting light-skinned individuals,” she said.

Beverly also described how tough auditions were, as actors had very few chances to impress casting directors.

“There was talent. It wasn’t about beauty or what you were wearing or anything. Everybody was ready to act. People were acting. We were really daring.

"People can master lines in one minute because when you get that chance to audition for a role, it was your only chance and the queue behind you was so long that you don’t want to make a mistake. But the casting for producers made it difficult for us to get into the acting field,” she narrated.

According to her, things only changed when movie storylines required diverse actors, forcing producers to work with dark-skinned talents.

"It got to a time that they didn’t have a choice but to use us because, at that time, most of the stories that were out were about kingdoms, princesses, girls-girls, those stories. So girls-girls, you will need us. You can’t use just one person; you need everybody. So they knew that they had to work with us," she explained.

On the contrary, Ghanaian actress Vicky Zugah has revealed that her interest in movies began when someone discovered her potential.

In an interview with Akua Sika on Ayekooo, a show available on Happy TV's YouTube channel, she shared how this chance encounter led her to transition from studying cosmetology to becoming a successful actress and TV presenter.

“I went to school to study cosmetology, but someone discovered me while I was still in school,” she revealed during the interview. The individual who spotted her potential was working on a movie project and believed she had the perfect features for one of the roles.

Interestingly, Vicky had never considered acting at the time. “I wasn’t into movies at all,” she confessed. However, the opportunity to act in her first film became a turning point.

“When I had my first experience on set, it made me realize that I had the confidence to do it,” she added, reflecting on how stepping into the acting world felt natural despite her initial reservations.

That single experience ignited a passion she didn’t know she had. “I started going for auditions and getting cast in roles,” Vicky shared. “And that’s how my journey in acting began.”

She credits her transformation to the person who discovered her and gave her the nudge she needed. “If that person hadn’t seen the potential in me, I probably would have still been doing cosmetology,” she admitted, expressing gratitude for the serendipitous encounter.

Today, Vicky Zugah is a celebrated name in Ghana’s entertainment industry, known for her versatility and confidence, qualities she attributes to that pivotal moment when someone believed in her abilities.

Her story is a testament to the power of opportunity and recognizing untapped potential.

Meanwhile, Veteran Ghanaian actor, Fred Nii Amugi has advised actors and actresses not to fight over roles in movies because it does not bring the best in them.

According to him, before a director assigns a particular role to an actor he (the director) measures the strength, hence fighting for a change in role isn't the best.

“Don’t fight for roles. Whatever the role a director gives you, do it to perfection because the director knows you can perform”, Mr. Fred Amugi said in an interview on Movement TV.

Mr. Fred Nii Amugi also urged actors and actresses also cautioned actors over such acts adding that it does not bring out the best in them.

He added it is better for an actor to appear in one scene in a movie and perform it well than to be in an entire film without having an impact.

“It is better than roaming in a movie without doing anything relevant. You do it, convince the director for the next movie or for a future role”, he advised.