Damilola Ogunsi, an actor with albinism, faced discrimination in Nollywood but inspired others by pursuing his dream. Nigerian actor, Damilola Ogunsi popularly known as Gold Fish, has opened up about his experiences as a working Nollywood actor with albinism in an interview with Deutsche Welle (DW).
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“I had a director who looked me in the face and said, ‘Why do you want to be in the industry, do you see any Albino in the industry? Why do you want to be an actor? Can you see anybody with albinism? It is not something you should do.’ But it has always been my dream, something I have always wanted to do since I was a little boy,” Ogunsi said.
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He said that his albinism made him different and special, and gave him a room in the Nollywood film industry.
“My uniqueness as an albino is what makes me special, so if there is no one in the industry like that, that means that is a niche,” he said.
Ogunsi has come a long way in the industry, and he felt that his presence adds something different and important to the stories.
“Every time I appear in a film, there is a way my presence colors the film. So now we begin to understand the necessity for inclusion. The fact that this guy is in a film, tells the story in a particular way,” he said.
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