Nollywood star actress and film maker Genevieve Nnaji in a recent conversation has opened up about her transformative journey in the film industry.
The actress, who was on a panel at the 2024 AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum/Afreximbank Annual Meetings opened up about her experience seeking partnerships in Hollywood after the success of LionHeart, her 2018 film that was bought by Netflix for a rumoured $3.8 million.
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
“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.”
However, her balanced outlook – respecting other industries while championing her own – is a testament to her strategic and thoughtful approach.
In 2018, the worldwide feature Lionheart was acquired by Netflix. Since then she has executive produced a feature which is yet to reveal its distribution plans.
It is evident that Genevieve Nnaji’s story is not just about personal success but about a collective dream of an industry that represents and resonates with its people.
She also said during the secession that she could have gone to Hollywood years ago but decided to stay back to contribute to the development of Nollywood.
“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
This reveals her belief in Nollywood’s potential and her unwavering commitment to authenticity which has continued to pave the way for a brighter, more inclusive future for African cinema.
