Nigerian actor Emeka Okoye has accused some Nollywood producers of sidelining him in movie productions due to his body size.
Speaking during an interview with Seun Oloketuyi on Nollywood On Radio, Okoye revealed that he has been repeatedly rejected for roles because producers considered him either “too slim” or “too fat.”
“I’ve been told that I am fat, and I have lost movie roles because of that. Some say that I won’t fit a character because I have a stomach or I’m not fine,” he said.
Okoye explained that body-size discrimination has trailed him throughout his career, even when he was much younger and slimmer.
“When I was slim, many producers would use me to audition people. They would say I was good but didn’t have a role that fit me because I was too slim. I had that experience many times,” he added.
The actor mentioned that as his physique changed, the kind of roles offered to him also shifted, often limiting him to stereotypical characters.
“Now that I’m a bit chubby, they give me roles like landlord, husband, or uncle. Some even stopped offering me ‘bad boy’ roles because they think I can’t interpret them. But they’ll be shocked when they see my upcoming movies,” he said.
Okoye’s remarks have stirred conversations among film lovers and actors about typecasting and body image bias in Nollywood, a recurring concern among performers seeking more inclusive casting practices.
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