Stella Damasus reveals how the Hollywood stereotype hinders Nigerians from landing roles, citing accent bias and colourism in casting practices

Hollywood stereotype hinders Nigerians from breaking into international film in spite of growing global recognition of Nollywood talent.

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Veteran actress Stella Damasus has opened up on how industry expectations rooted in outdated assumptions continue to bar Nigerian actors from landing Hollywood roles.

In a revealing conversation with Arrow House, the actress shared how American filmmakers still cling to a narrow definition of what constitutes an “authentic” African.

According to her, casting agents often expect African characters to have East African accents and extremely dark skin tones, citing Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o as their reference point.

Damasus explained that these rigid templates exclude many West African performers. She said, “Hollywood filmmakers insist that there is a particular accent that Africans who want to act in their industry must have. So, that’s why they forced our people to put it on.”

Frustrated by these stereotypes, she questioned why one accent should represent an entire continent. “I’m Nigerian, they are Ghanaians. We are different people and we all sound different. We don’t sound like this. That’s what Hollywood wants. That’s what they are used to,” she noted.

She further observed that most Nigerians who have secured significant roles in Hollywood were raised in the United Kingdom or the United States and therefore fit the accent profile that Hollywood finds acceptable.

According to her, accent and skin tone are often decisive factors for casting directors who struggle to place Nigerians within their limited image of Africa.

Sharing a disheartening encounter, Damasus recalled being told she was neither dark enough nor light enough to be cast, and her accent didn’t fit any of the expected categories.

“They said to me, ‘We want an African to be very dark. You are not dark enough and you are not white enough to be half-caste, so it would be hard to place you.’”

She challenged this ignorance by pointing out the vast diversity across the continent. “How do you think Africans sound? Because Africa is full of a million and one countries. And inside those countries, we have different dialects and different accents.”

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Damasus’s remarks have reignited conversations about racial bias, colourism and cultural ignorance in international film. As Nollywood continues to rise in global appeal, her comments serve as a call for more nuanced representation and inclusivity in the casting of African roles.