Actor Nonso Diobi has shared that his resemblance to actress Hilda Dokubo played a key role in securing his first movie role after three years of struggling to break into the industry.
In a recent interview on Nollywood Hardcore, Nonso recounted how he attended over 1,000 auditions before finally being cast in the movie Borderline in 2001, without even auditioning.
The actor explained that during an audition in Enugu, Hilda Dokubo noticed his striking resemblance to her and suggested he play her brother in the film.
“In 2001, I went to a movie location where different auditions were held. Before I could get close to the crowd, Hilda Dokubo said, ‘This young boy looks like me. He can play my brother.’ That was how I got my first role after three years and more than 1,000 auditions,” he said.
Nonso revealed that he was initially unaware of how the film industry worked when he started attending auditions in 1998.
He used those experiences as informal training to improve his acting skills.
“When I came into the industry I knew nothing, so I went to several auditions not to get roles but to be corrected by professionals because back then there were no film schools or tutorials,” he said.
The Borderline actor, who took a break from acting in 2023 to acquire more knowledge, credited his persistence for helping him refine his craft and establish a successful career in Nollywood.
