The Nollywood actress Adunni Ade has opened up about the difficulties her mixed heritage causes in the movie industry.
Ade, who was born to a Nigerian father and an American mother, attended the University of Kentucky to receive accounting training before relocating to Nigeria to pursue acting full-time.
Adunni disclosed in an interview with Seun Oloketuyi that some producers are sceptical about her abilities to play specific roles due to her Caucasian features.
The 48-year-old admitted that she frequently receives last-minute rejections with no explanation and has become accustomed to ignoring them.
Adunni expressed her happiness at not being constrained to any one duty while still being grateful to God.
“I have played so many characters that even I would be like thank God I am getting this. I am very appreciative that I was never limited to roles that are been given to me,” she said.
“Moreso, sometimes playing lead or parent might be difficult for a filmmaker to cast. Who is going to play her mum who is going to play her dad? Someone who looks like her. Yorùbá never had that problem. If I needed to play someone’s daughter, Madam Saje is there, Shaffy Bello is there. So many people have played my mum. They would just have a story to tell about the dad.
“There had been days when I would get a call, or script, excited about the character, I am already in that mood, thinking of how I am going to transform into this person and just deliver. And then last minute, they will begin to (stutter).
“Back then, it will affect me, bug me, because I am like, did you not think about this before calling me? Why last minute did you change your mind? Of recent this happened. And I was like no problem. Another day it will rest.”
