I lost movie roles over my physical appearance – Funke Akindele

Funke Akindele, the Nigerian filmmaker, has opened up about her struggles on the path to success in Nollywood.

In a recent chat with Toke Makinwa, the actress recalled how she was denied movie roles due to her physical appearance.

The 46-year-old film star said the bullying took a toll on her emotional health.

“While climbing the ladder of success, I met a lot of SHEs, bullies, people that would look down on you,” she said.

“I remember people telling me, ‘You are not fine. You do not have bum. You do not 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.”

‘SHE Must Be Obeyed,’ a mini-series by Funke Akindele, premiered on Prime Video on September 29.

It chronicles the story of Siyanbola Adewale, a thriving artiste whose public humility conceals a realm of avarice, hubris, and machiavellian schemes.

The series also discusses the themes of “‘rivalries and backstabbing activities’, ‘unyielding ambition’ and ‘unbridled passion fueling the obsession with fame’”.

Akindele rose to prominence in 2008 for her movie ‘Jenifa’, which gained commercial success.

The movie star has been involved in many other productions including ‘Industreet’, ‘Jenifa’s Diary’, ‘Maami’, among others.

She has also received several awards and recognition.