Nigerian Actress, Genevieve Nnaji Says Hollywood Made Her Feel Like A Commodity Following Her Film, Lionheart

Genevieve Nnaji, one of Nigeria’s most celebrated actresses, has opened up about her experience in Hollywood following the success of her groundbreaking film, Lionheart. Despite the film’s critical acclaim and commercial success, Nnaji revealed that she did not receive the necessary support in Hollywood to further her career and opportunities.

Speaking at the 2024 Afro-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum/Afreximbank Annual Meetings, Nnaji shared her journey and the challenges she faced in the global film industry. Her film Lionheart, which was released in 2018, made history as the first Nigerian film to be acquired by Netflix for a reported $3.8 million. The film’s success was expected to open more doors for Nnaji in Hollywood, but she found the reality to be quite different.

Nnaji, who has benefited from the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX), an Afreximbank program that supports trade and investment in Africa’s creative sector, discussed how her experiences in Hollywood made her feel like a commodity. She highlighted the lack of genuine support and partnership opportunities, which contrasted sharply with the enthusiasm and promises she initially encountered.

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 CANEX is bringing on board, but I thought I could find it in Hollywood. That was not quite the case,” she said.