Bimbo Akintola
Veteran Nollywood actress, Bimbo Akintola, has criticised the new generation of actresses for prioritising physical appearance and body enhancement surgeries over passion for the craft.
Speaking in a recent interview with fellow actress, Ayo Adesanya, the 55-year-old compared today’s stars with Nollywood icons such as Sola Sobowale and Joke Silva, whom she described as embodiments of “pure, unwavering passion for acting.”
Akintola recalled how her generation of actors worked tirelessly on set, often through long hours without food or sleep, all in dedication to the profession.
“It wasn’t about glamour. Our work is reality, sometimes we reflect life back at society. You still see that passion in stage performances today, where people just want to give their best in front of the audience,” she explained.
She, however, lamented that the current crop of actresses seem more preoccupied with image than substance.
“People now say, ‘No, my makeup is not right for this’, ‘I can’t wear this’. We are more concerned about our look. Which is why there is a spike in BBL, because everybody is BBL-ing. They are more concerned about their look rather than the content,” she said.
Her remarks have sparked debate among fans and industry watchers about whether Nollywood is shifting away from substance towards superficiality.