Kanayo also criticized fixation on a few ‘popular faces’, warning that such stifles creativity and discourages discovery of new actors.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Veteran actor, Anayo Modestus Onyekwere, better known as Kanayo O. Kanayo, has alleged that Nollywood productions, especially movies that are YouTube-based, prioritize looks over talents.
He raised the concern on Monday via a video message he shared on his official Instagram page.
According to the thespian, there is a growing trend of prioritizing “selling faces” over real acting talent in the Nigerian movie industry.
He added that the development made him to focus on discovering and working with talented but lesser-known actors.
“I have decided to take my destiny in my own hands as it pertains to my platform on YouTube,” he said.
“Movie making is not about having a fine face, it’s about being a good actor, a good performer. So, with or without a fine face, that’s what I’ve decided to do. If you don’t like it, well, that’s quite unfortunate.”
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Kanayo warned against a recurring practice that dates back to the early days of Nollywood, where sponsors and promoters allegedly blacklisted talented actors simply because they were not deemed commercially attractive.
“There was an incident many years ago when we were trying to bring up this Nollywood business, about 25 years ago. Some sponsors woke up and started branding actors: ‘this one is not a good one, this one does not sell films.’ They killed the careers of those guys. I can mention names, but for the sanctity of this broadcast, I won’t,” he said.
He further expressed concern that this same mindset is resurfacing on modern platforms, “Such a thing is beginning to rear its ugly head again. The acclaimed YouTube faces are beginning to bring up the same thing, killing talents in the industry,” he lamented.
He went on to criticize the fixation on a few ‘popular faces’ that claim to dominate the streaming space, warning that it stifles creativity and discourages new actors from entering the field.
“Some of these guys will tell you they are not free from September 2025 till August 2026.’ How then do we sustain the content you watch? How do we create magic? How do we encourage new actors to come into the business? I don’t want any producer to call me for a job because I’m a selling face on any platform. Call me because I can deliver,” he stressed.
Kanayo reaffirmed his commitment to creating opportunities for emerging talents and called on industry players to embrace inclusivity over popularity.
“If you’re a new face, come on, let’s do magic on Kanayo O. Kanayo TV on YouTube. Let’s create stories with people who can deliver, who can act,” he urged.
While expressing both frustration and optimism, he said, “I don’t know why when things come to Nigeria, there’s always a somersault, and this somersault is happening now on YouTube. But I want to employ my life’s philosophy to say: this too shall pass.”
