Nollywood filmmakers cast actors based on social media followers – Uzor Arukwe

According to popular Nollywood actor Uzor Arukwe, having a social media following used to be one of the conditions for actors to gain movie roles from some producers in Nigeria’s film industry.

He stated that directors cast performers based on social media followers rather than talent.

The ‘A Tribe Called Judah’ star said that it was a “big” struggle for him as a struggling actor.

“I remember everything so well when I first started. “It was a major issue for me,” the 40-year-old actor told Pulse in a recent interview.

“There was a time in this industry when it was mostly about Instagram and Twitter followers, and stuff like that. I didn’t understand it but knew it was something I had to be at peace with, because a production house wants to hire you and they’re looking at your numbers. ‘But can he act?’ That is the question I always ask. But there are some people who are blessed who are fantastic actors who have numbers and they’ve been doing well.”