In Hollywood, American actors typically appear in 1 to 5 films per year. Big names like Angelina Jolie or Leonardo DiCaprio don’t need to star in numerous projects to stay relevant or financially secure. However, in Nigeria’s film industry, the situation is quite different.
Fans of Nigerian films are increasingly voicing their fatigue over seeing the same faces in multiple productions, and the sentiment is understandable. Many Nigerian actors appear in 10, 20, or even 30 films annually, often in varied roles. This high frequency is necessary for them to maintain their relevance and ensure a steady income.
Recently, actor and content creator Enioluwa weighed in on this trend through his social media, shedding light on why newcomers struggle to gain traction in Nollywood. Here’s what he had to say.
Taking to social media to address why we keep seeing the same faces in Nigerian films, and also opening up about why Nollywood can’t support as many new faces as people expect, Enioluwa wrote saying:
ENIOLUWA: People often say they’re tired of seeing the same faces in Nigerian films.
However, unlike in Hollywood, actors in Nigeria can’t afford to do just one film a year— how much are they paying.
The industry currently can’t support as many newcomers as people might expect because, realistically, many of them wouldn’t be able to meet even their basic needs. No one wants to be famous and financially unstable.
We don’t have the buying power yet, it’s growing because streaming platforms have come in and people have made more records in the box office.
Nevertheless you can’t equate it to Hollywood, an Avengers that made over $2 billion that can pay its actors millions of dollars and still have enough profit.