Nigerian actress Stella Damasus has shed light on the hurdles faced by Nigerian actors trying to break into Hollywood. Speaking in an interview with Arrow House, Damasus noted that stereotypes about African identity often limit opportunities for Nigerians. She pointed out that Hollywood tends to favour actors who fit a narrow view of what Africans should look and sound like.
According to Damasus, casting directors frequently expect African actors to have East African accents and darker complexions, using actress Lupita Nyong’o as the standard. This expectation, she said, often puts Nigerian actors at a disadvantage. “Most of the Nigerians who have done big screen movies in Hollywood are people who were raised in England,” Damasus observed, suggesting that their exposure to Western culture and accents may have helped them land roles.
Damasus criticised the insistence on a single “African” accent, calling it unrealistic given the continent’s immense diversity. “I’m like, we don’t sound like that — maybe one or two small countries in East Africa. We are different people and we all sound different,” she said. She questioned why Hollywood continues to force African actors to adopt accents that do not reflect their actual backgrounds.
The actress also shared personal experiences of being told she did not fit any of Hollywood’s preferred categories. “We want an African to be very dark. You are not dark enough and you are not white enough to be half-caste, so it would be hard to place you,” she recalled being told.
Frustrated by these limitations, Damasus urged the industry to recognize Africa’s rich tapestry of cultures and voices. She highlighted that Africa is made up of many countries, each with distinct languages, dialects, and appearances, and that Hollywood should stop clinging to outdated notions of what an African actor should be.
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