Veteran Nollywood actor Kanayo O. Kanayo has emphasised the need for creativity and talent development in the African movie industry rather than being a platform for promoting Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL), corporate sex work, and homosexuality.

The revered thespian asserted that the African movie industry, particularly Nollywood should be a fertile ground for nurturing talents and not a haven for amateurs or individuals pursuing endeavours unrelated to their roles and skills.

In a recent interview on Afia TV, the veteran actor noted that while everyone is welcomed into the movie industry, individuals should ensure they have a genuine passion and calling for acting.

“Nollywood should not be a ground for BBL; bum bum enlargement. Nollywood should not be a ground for people doing runs. Nollywood should not be a ground where people’s dollars are stolen in hotels. All these Nollywood girls, it is not a ground for gay or lesbianism.

“It is a ground for creativity. Nollywood is not a ground for learning how to act. Many people come to Nollywood to learn how to act. You are supposed to come to the industry to better and hone your talent. Many girls after hearing Genevieve [Nnaji] is a millionaire, Omatola is a billionaire, would go and borrow wigs and come deceiving themselves.

“We all have different sectors. Everybody is welcome but the fact is, find out whether you have a calling for acting. That your neighbour says you know how to act, doesn’t mean you are an actor. You need some element of education to come to Nollywood.

“It doesn’t really matter if you studied medicine and you want to act. But for goodness sake, don’t come to it because you are struggling; your business stopped booming. Because most people, once their businesses crumble, they join acting. No na. For you to be a medical doctor, you need to have put in seven years. I put in six years to become a lawyer. So, why do you think you would just come and say you want to act?

“These days, you know what happens? If you’re a girl, whether you are fine or not. And you have a jeep [SUV], they [filmmakers] will ask you to become an actress because they want to use your car nonstop in that movie and another movie. They will give you one role to play.

“People are bragging about the industry because some want to sell sex, some want to sell their body, some want to do this and so on. And it’s not healthy for the industry. But everyone is welcome. But Instagram Stars are the ones who are giving the industry a bad name. And I don’t want anybody to join them because they’ve a little time and they’ll fade out.”