Nigerian actor Emeka Okoye has revealed that he has lost several movie roles in the Nigerian film industry due to body size discrimination.
Speaking in a recent interview with Seun Oloketuyi on Nollywood On Radio, Okoye expressed frustration over how some producers stereotype actors based on appearance rather than talent.
According to him, many Nollywood producers have rejected him over the years, claiming he was either “too slim” or “too fat” for certain roles.
“I’ve been told that I am fat, and I have lost movie roles because of that. Some say I won’t fit a character because I have a stomach or I’m not fine,” he said.
The actor explained that even in his early career, when he was slimmer, he still faced rejection.
“When I was slim, a lot of producers would use me to audition people and give them scripts. They would say I was good but didn’t have a role that fit me because I was too slim,” Okoye recalled.
He mentioned that fellow actress Bukky Thomas could testify to his struggles during that period.
Okoye added that now that he is chubbier, he is mostly offered landlord, husband, or uncle roles, while his “bad boy” roles have been taken away because of his body shape.
“Some even stopped giving me ‘bad boy’ roles because they assume I can’t interpret the character. But they’ll be shocked when they see my upcoming movies,” he said confidently.
Despite the challenges, the actor maintained that he remains passionate about his craft and is determined to break stereotypes in Nollywood.
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