Actress Nkechi Blessing Sunday has opened up about one of the unusual roles she was offered when she was starting out in Nollywood.

Speaking on The Honest Bunch podcast, Nkechi said that as a newcomer, she was handed scripts that made her question the kind of image she wanted to project in the industry. One of the earliest scripts she received required her to perform a scene involving a dog in bed, a role she immediately rejected.

“Despite being a newcomer, I was given a script to sleep with a dog. I rejected it because I can’t start off my career like that. Imagine my first ever movie, I am sleeping with a dog. It doesn’t make sense. Whatever you start with is what people associate you with. I didn’t want to be renowned as someone who sleeps with dogs in movies,” she explained.

Nkechi added that after turning down the project, other young actresses quickly took the role, but few have maintained visibility in the industry.

Shortly after, she met veteran filmmaker Emeka Duru, who expressed interest in working with her. This encounter paved the way for her first appearance in the movie Through The Fire, produced by Imem Isong.

Reflecting on the experience, Nkechi said it taught her the importance of being selective with roles to protect her image and career trajectory:

“It’s a lesson in knowing your worth and the kind of legacy you want to build. That early experience shaped how I approach scripts and the image I want to maintain in Nollywood.”