‘Actors are like chameleons ‘

Being at the centre of the spotlight is the dream of every ambitious actor, and with Nollywood continually burgeoning as a multi-billion dollar grossing industry, attracting; investments, endorsements and partnerships alike from both local and international corporations, some of which include; Netflix, Canal Plus, Sony and Disney among others, the current influx of hopefuls into the industry is unprecedented. However, the land is not readily green for everyone, infers Ifeanyi Akogo – multitalented actor, radio presenter, and producer.

According to Akogo, “The auditioning stage is where many hopeful actors learn that they can, or cannot act. Auditioning for roles is a tedious process for both the Casting Crew and the actors – especially aspiring actors. In this industry, the competition is always tough. A pool of people will fall in line for auditions, and there will be hundreds who want the same role – some have years of experience, and can interpret the script quickly, which make them easier to cast for the roles.

However, I have observed that whereas some new actors show up to auditions very disciplined, extremely talented, and able to interpret the script well, some others show up more fashion-ready than action-ready – they seem to believe that if they look a certain way, or dress a certain way, they would get the role.”

He continues. “Of course, how you look is important in this industry – after all, we are the show business! But to stand out, and have a fighting chance in getting the roles you want, it’s very important to embody professionalism – arrive on time, memorize your lines completely and be ready to take every instruction. Also when you’re acting, it shouldn’t appear like you are acting.

You need to look and sound as natural as possible. You need to show that you believe in yourself and can be versatile. Most importantly, present yourself as the role you’re targeting – your expressions and gestures must match the character that you want to play.”

“Although Nollywood is leading in Africa, and in 2nd place globally, there are still certain aspects of the industry that are yet to be standardized. For instance, we don’t have Casting Agencies, and we only have a few Talent Management Agencies – these would have been the proper agencies to prepare actors for roles, and help to build their careers.

Many actors struggle with finding roles, amongst other work challenges, and many actors easily become a typecast – which could be harmful to an actor’s career.”
“The best actors are like chameleons. They can adapt to any role and play commendably without repeating that character in another production.

RMD, Adesua Etomi-Wellington, Ademola Adedoyin, Uzor Arokwe, Mercy Johnson, Femi Jacobs, Bimbo Ademoye, and many more are great examples of that. They can play virtually any part at any time! But there are also amazing actors who have been locked into one type of role for the entirety of their career, and you never see their diverse strengths, and this is because they don’t have the representation to help them network, and get varied roles in the industry.” He concludes.

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