Entertainment
Stella Damasus Highlights Hollywood’s Limiting Stereotypes of African Actors
Actress Stella Damasus discusses Hollywood’s narrow stereotypes of African actors, citing accent and skin tone biases as major barriers for Nigerians
The African Actor Representation in Hollywood faces significant challenges, according to seasoned actress Stella Damasus.
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She recently spoke about the hurdles Nigerian actors encounter when pursuing roles in the American film industry.
Damasus explained that Hollywood’s limiting stereotypes of Africans, which she believes Nigerians do not fit, act as a major stumbling block.
The movie star claimed that Hollywood’s prevalent stereotype dictates that all Africans possess East African accents and are as dark as Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o.
This narrow perception, she argued, often makes Nigerian actors unsuitable for Hollywood roles.
She pointed out that most Nigerian actors who have secured lead roles in Hollywood were raised abroad, which likely accounts for their different accents.
In a conversation with Arrow House, Damasus elaborated on the issue.
And I’m like, ‘How do you think Africans sound? Because Africa is full of a million and one countries. And inside those countries, we have different dialects and different accents.
“Hollywood filmmakers insist that there is a particular accent that Africans who want to act in their industry must have. So, that’s why they forced our people to put it on… I’m like, we [Nigerians] don’t sound like that, maybe one or two small countries in East Africa. I’m Nigerian, they are Ghanaians. We are different people and we all sound different. We [Nigerians] don’t sound like this. That’s what Hollywood wants. That’s what they are used to.”
Damasus further revealed a conversation where filmmakers expressed their preference for a specific look.
“And they [Hollywood filmmakers] said to me, ‘We want an African to be very dark. That’s the kind of African that we are used to. We are not used to your kind of African. We want Lupita dark. You are not dark enough and you are not white enough to be half caste, so it would be hard to place you. You are not mixed race. Then your accent, you don’t sound American or British, neither do you sound African.’”
She concluded by questioning this limited understanding: “And I’m like, ‘How do you think Africans sound? Because Africa is full of a million and one countries. And inside those countries, we have different dialects and different accents.’”
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Her insights highlight the need for broader cultural education within the global film industry.
Gospel artist Laolu Gbenjo has strongly condemned what he described as wickedness and manipulation surrounding the circumstances of the late singer, Olayemi Bolaji, popularly known as Toluwanisings.
Gbenjo made the appeal during a night of tributes held in honour of the late musician at the Jogor Centre in Ibadan, Oyo State. Addressing the gathering, he passionately urged individuals allegedly behind any underhanded tactics to halt their actions immediately.
Describing Toluwanisings as a devoted servant of God and a man of integrity, Gbenjo noted that the late singer possessed a pure heart and was a friend to all.
Cautioning against attempts to distort facts or control narratives regarding the tragic event, Gbenjo stated that whoever was orchestrating such moves should desist. He called on attendees to collectively reject such actions, leading them in a unified stance against perceived malice.
The remarks come amid heightened emotions and grief surrounding Toluwanisings’ passing, which occurred on October 14, 2026. Fellow artistes and industry colleagues at the memorial event paid glowing tributes, demanding sincerity and peace as the public comes to terms with the loss.
Crystal Hefner, the widow of late Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, has accused him of subjecting her and other women to sexual abuse and coercion during their relationship.
Speaking on the “Lisa Guerrero Unleashed” podcast, the 40-year-old said she often felt obligated to comply with Hefner’s wishes, including sexually, and questioned whether some of what she experienced amounted to rape.
“I do believe that I did whatever he wanted me to do. And if that involved sex, then I just did what he wanted me to do,” she said.
Crystal recalled situations in the bedroom that left her deeply uncomfortable, stating that some things that happened “ended up just not being OK.”
She also made a disturbing allegation involving twins Kristina and Karissa Shannon, claiming Hefner attempted to pressure them into sexual activity with each other.
“That is incest. That is disgusting,” she stated, adding that witnessing the situation was “very, very hard” for her.
Crystal further alleged that Hefner would use dirty sex toys during encounters with her and other women, describing the experiences as painful and lacking intimacy.
When host Lisa Guerrero suggested that what Crystal described “sounds like rape,” she agreed.
“He’s not gentle,” Crystal said, adding that she would be left in pain afterward.
According to Crystal, Hefner increasingly sought extreme stimulation and engaged in sexual acts that she said were not consensual or intimate.
Crystal and Hugh married in 2012 and remained together until his death at 91 in September 2017. She has since moved on with marine biologist James Ward, whom she began dating in 2024. The pair married in April.
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