Nollywood actress Bimbo Akintola has taken a swipe at the new generation of actresses in the movie industry, saying they are more concerned with their looks than they are about their craft.
The 55-year-old actress made this statement in an interview with colleague Ayo Adesanya, comparing the new generation of actresses to the older generation, which includes icons like Joke Silva and Sola Sobowale.
Akintola recalled the industry’s foundational years, which she said were built by actors dedicated to their craft despite meager pay, has now been eclipsed by what she described as a “preoccupation with physical appearance”.
She explained that Nollywood icons like Joke Silva and Sola Sobowale, whom she met when she first started, are examples of “pure, unwavering passion for acting”.
“The passion is gone,” Akintola lamented. “When we started and joined the industry, it was passion-driven (hunger). How much were people being paid? It was a not a lot of money. But the passion to just make the difference, to do something that you felt was your reason for being,” she said.
“And every person that we met was on that same level of passion. Even the whole Aunty Joke, Aunty Shola, all of them were so passionate about the work.
“You had people who would not sleep. Who is talking about food? Who is talking about 12 or 14 hours working hours? You work till you finish. You work till next day and you are still back there to continue.
“And it was not about glamour. Our work is gritty, it is reality, sometimes. It is not just glamour. We reflect life back at the society.
“I think when you do stage, you still get that passion. You still see passion-driven people who just want to do their best in front of the audience.”
Highlighting the contrast between the icons and the new generation, Akintola decried the recent trend of actresses being “more concerned about their outlook rather than the content”.
She argued that the shift in priority has resulted in newer actresses becoming fixated on cosmetic procedures like Brazilian Butt Lifting (BBL) surgery to enhance their looks and increase their chances of landing roles.
“Now people say ‘No, my make up is not right for this’, ‘I cannot wear this’. We are more concerned about how we look. Which is why generally there is a spike in BBL. Everybody is ‘BBLing’.”
