Renowned Nollywood actress, Funke Akindele, has candidly shared her experience of being denied roles in major movies due to her appearance during a recent episode of Toke Makinwa‘s show, Toke Moments.
Funke Akindele disclosed that she faced rejection not only in mainstream movies but even in Yoruba films because of her facial features. She recounted how she was often relegated to minor roles, which brought her to tears. During these challenging times, her colleague Iyabo Ojo came to her aid, supporting her in situations where filmmakers turned her down based on her physical appearance.
Akindele expressed her painful memories, saying, “I remember people telling me, ‘You are not fine. You don’t have ass. You don’t have boobs. You will not be in this film.’ And, I remember crying. A lot of times I would cry, break down, get into the bathroom and cry.”