YouTube Freed Nollywood Actors From Movie Marketers’ Control

Spread the love

Veteran Nollywood actor Kanayo O. Kanayo has credited the rise of YouTube with liberating the Nigerian film industry from the long-standing influence and control of powerful movie marketers.

Gossip News Now reports that Kanayo made the revelation during an appearance on The Honest Bunch podcast, recalling a time when influential marketers—often also serving as executive producers—dominated actors’ careers and enforced strict, sometimes arbitrary rules.

He explained that these marketers frequently suspended 10 to 12 actors each year, often without allowing them any opportunity to defend themselves. The reasons behind such punishments were usually vague, commonly labeled as “unholy conduct” or other undefined infractions.

Kanayo noted that marketers deliberately restricted actors from promoting themselves or venturing into film marketing. Any actor attempting to take on marketing responsibilities faced a hefty fine of ₦500,000—a significant amount at a time when most film budgets were around ₦800,000.

This system left many actors financially strained and creatively stifled, unable to advance their careers freely.

The situation, he said, began to improve with the emergence of YouTube and other online platforms, which enabled actors to connect directly with audiences. By bypassing the traditional control of marketers, these platforms created new avenues for career growth and expanded opportunities within Nollywood.