Filmmaker Genevieve Nnaji has shed light on the challenges she faced in Hollywood despite the groundbreaking success of her 2018 film Lionheart.
The 45-year-old spoke recently at the AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum organised by the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) under the Afreximbank programme.
Genevieve’s film Lionheart was acquired by Netflix for a reported $3.8 million, marking a significant milestone for African cinema.
However, the actress revealed that her Hollywood experience did not meet her expectations in terms of career advancement.
At the event, Genevieve was asked about her Hollywood journey and what lessons she brought back to Nigeria and the African continent, she said, “For the first time, I realised I was a commodity. I thought, you know, given what I had done with Lionheart and all of that, I was going to have an opportunity to do more. Getting there and having the kind of support, that obviously CANEX is bringing on board, but I thought I could find it in Hollywood. That was not quite the case.”
The screen goddess elaborated on the disconnect she felt in Hollywood, stating, “They wanted what I had but for their benefit. It was all about their story. It was all about how, even if it was our story, I could make it more authentic to their own understanding of whatever Africa is because they did have a lot of literature in their archives.”
Despite the hurdles, Genevieve emphasised her commitment to Nollywood, Nigeria’s burgeoning film industry.
“But I am Nollywood. I could have gone to Hollywood a long time if I wanted to. But I had a dream to build an industry in Nigeria that could rival it. That’s because I’ve always believed in that. I have always believed that we were capable of actually owning an industry like that, that told our story for our people. I wanted that. I respect what Hollywood is doing. I respect what Bollywood is doing and I felt like Nollywood had an equal chance at it,” she said.
