Getting a movie role, major challenge to upcoming actresses, says Onyia

An actress, Miss Chinaza Onyia, says the upcoming actresses and actors in the Nigerian movie industry, a.k.a. Nollywood,are faced with the challenge of getting movie roles to play.

Onyia said this in an interview with the newsmen on Monday in Enugu.

She said, as a budding actress, it was hard to get movie roles in the industry presently except if one was connected to a film producer.

“As starters, going in for any movie or shooting a project needs to get the basic things for themselves as producers do not look at them the way they look at the main actresses and actors.

“The main actresses get wardrobe, hair, makeup allowances and anything that will make them come up with the character they want to perform but we foot our bills wherever we are going including transportation.

“You need finances to put yourself in order, and one thing I have noticed in the industry is that, at the end of the day, one needs a mentor that will finance him or her in one way or another,” she said.

Onyia, who said acting in a movie required a lot of networking, travelling, and meeting people, stressed that new entrants in the industry needed to attend training and conferences to equip themselves.

She regretted that in Nigeria, only a few people run film academies or film houses where they could explore their creativity and train themselves.

“I joined Nollywood last year, and I featured in "Ifediche,” an award-winning Igbo movie.

“At this stage, I have made film as my second husband and will combine my career with acting,” she said.

Onyia advised her colleagues to have other means of income, stressing that it was the only way they could overcome negative distractions that would come their way in the industry.

She explained that once one was supporting himself or herself, nobody in Nollywood would be able to play around with the person.

“Though I have never experienced anybody requesting sex for a role from me. I have had occasions when I was called for an audition and things like that, but it never worked out and nobody demanded anything from me. I have never experienced such.

“It will be foolish of me to say sex for a role does not exist,” Onyia added.

On her expectations for the next five years, the upcoming actress said she hoped to be part of a project that would be breaking boundaries, changing narratives, creating support, inclusiveness, and expression for humanity.

“I want to also become a producer as the industry is large and it is not being in front of the camera, you can make a big impact even when you are behind the camera,” she said.