Nollywood actress Nkechi Blessing Sunday has shared how she turned down a controversial movie role during her early days in the Nigerian film industry, saying the decision was guided by her desire to protect her image and future career.
Speaking on The Honest Bunch podcast, the actress disclosed that she was once offered a script that involved an explicit and disturbing storyline, which she immediately rejected despite being new to Nollywood at the time.
According to Nkechi, accepting such a role would have negatively defined her career and shaped public perception in a way she was unwilling to accept.
“Despite being a newcomer, I was given a script to sleep with a dog. I rejected it because I can’t start my career like that,” she said.
She explained that first roles often set the tone for how actors are perceived, and she did not want to be typecast or permanently associated with extreme or explicit content.
“Whatever you start with is what people would associate you with. I didn’t want to be known for something like that,” she added.
Nkechi noted that after she turned down the role, other actresses reportedly accepted the script, but she is unsure if any of them went on to achieve significant success in the industry.
Her revelation has sparked renewed conversations about the kinds of roles offered to young actors in Nollywood and the pressures faced by newcomers trying to break into the industry.
Nkechi Blessing has since built a strong presence in Nigerian cinema, often speaking openly about her experiences and the realities of navigating fame, boundaries, and professionalism in the entertainment space.
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