Nollywood veteran Stella Damasus says Hollywood’s narrow portrayal of Africans—based on East African accents and dark skin—has made it difficult for Nigerian actors to secure leading roles.
Lagos, Nigeria – June 20, 2025
Renowned Nigerian actress Stella Damasus has voiced her concerns over the growing challenges faced by Nigerian actors attempting to break into Hollywood, citing stereotypes about African identity as a major barrier.
In a recent conversation with Arrow House, the Nollywood veteran shared her personal experiences and frustrations with casting expectations in Hollywood. According to Damasus, Hollywood’s view of Africans is often reduced to outdated generalizations — particularly about skin tone and accents — which do not reflect the reality or diversity of African nations.
“Hollywood filmmakers insist that there is a particular accent that Africans who want to act in their industry must have,” she said. “And I’m like, we [Nigerians] don’t sound like that. Maybe one or two small countries in East Africa do.”
“We Are Not What Hollywood Expects”
Damasus pointed out that Hollywood’s concept of an African character is still narrowly defined by traits typically associated with East African countries, especially Kenya, citing Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong’o as a prime example of the image Hollywood tends to favour.
“They told me they want an African to be very dark. That’s the kind of African that they are used to,” she explained. “We are not used to your kind of African. We want Lupita dark.”
She further shared that during one casting experience, producers told her she was neither “dark enough” to be a stereotypical African nor “light enough” to pass as biracial. This, combined with her Nigerian accent, left casting agents confused about how to place her.
“You are not white enough to be half-caste, so it would be hard to place you. You are not mixed race. Then your accent—you don’t sound American or British, neither do you sound African.”
Accent Biases and the Hollywood Mold
One of the key frustrations Damasus expressed was the enforced accent standard Hollywood expects of African actors — often based on a generic East African accent that doesn’t reflect the West African voice.
“I’m Nigerian, they are Ghanaians. We are different people and we all sound different,” she emphasized. “But that’s what Hollywood wants. That’s what they are used to.”
She added that many Nigerian actors who have successfully landed major roles in Hollywood productions often grew up or were trained in the UK or the US, which gives them the accent and speech patterns that casting directors prefer.
“Most of the Nigerians who have done big screen movies in Hollywood are people who were raised in England. Most of them have a different type of accent,” Damasus said. “It’s not about the talent anymore; it’s about fitting their box.”
A Broader Problem of African Misrepresentation
Stella Damasus’s remarks reflect broader concerns among African creatives about the limited and often inaccurate portrayals of Africans in global media. Despite Africa’s 54 countries and more than 2,000 languages, Western portrayals often lump the entire continent into a single monolithic identity.
“Africa is full of a million and one countries,” Damasus said. “And inside those countries, we have different dialects and different accents.”
Critics argue that this one-size-fits-all portrayal not only limits opportunities for authentic African actors but also distorts the global understanding of African diversity and culture.
Hollywood’s Growing Use of African Narratives—But Not Africans?
The irony, Damasus suggested, is that while Hollywood is increasingly drawing inspiration from African culture, African actors are still being sidelined from leading roles.
Blockbusters like Black Panther, The Woman King, and other African-themed films have drawn global acclaim and commercial success. But many of the lead actors in these films were African-Americans or British-Africans, rather than actors directly from the continent.
“They love the story of Africa, the rhythm of Africa, the energy of Africa,” said a Lagos-based film critic reacting to Damasus’s comments. “But when it comes to hiring actual African talent from Africa, there’s always a barrier.”
Industry Calls for Change
Damasus’s statements have sparked renewed conversations among Nollywood stakeholders and African diaspora filmmakers, many of whom are now pushing for more equitable casting practices and a dismantling of harmful stereotypes.
Social media platforms, especially X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, were abuzz with reactions following the interview. Hashtags like #AfricanVoicesMatter and #AuthenticAfrica trended for several hours as fans and industry insiders weighed in.
One user wrote:
“Stella Damasus is telling no lies. Hollywood wants a specific type of ‘African’ that fits their imagination. Time to break that mold.”
Another added:
“Africa is not a country. Our accents, faces, and skin tones are as diverse as our cultures. Hollywood needs to catch up.”
Damasus Urges Nollywood to Tell Its Own Stories
As part of her closing remarks, Stella Damasus urged Nigerian filmmakers and creatives not to wait for validation from Hollywood but to invest in telling authentic stories with global appeal.
“We need to build our own platforms, tell our own stories, and support our own stars. Hollywood doesn’t define us — we define us,” she concluded.
Her words resonate with a growing movement in the African creative space that promotes pan-African storytelling, independent productions, and distribution channels that bypass the traditional Western gatekeepers.
Final Thoughts
Stella Damasus’s candid reflections have shed new light on the barriers African actors face in the global film industry. While the world continues to consume and celebrate African culture, it’s clear that greater effort must be made to ensure African actors and voices are properly represented on international stages.
As Nollywood grows and global audiences show increasing interest in authentic African stories, perhaps the time is ripe for the film industry to not only reshape global narratives—but also redefine who gets to tell them.
