Sisi_Kill:

Ah! [b]It's unfair to dismiss Regina Askia's acting skills [/b]because of her beauty. She held her own very well with Liz Benson in Fortunes!!

It's not like anybody is dismissing her, just telling it like it is. She is fun to be with or be around but she is not what you call an actor. Trust me when I say I know, They use her because of her beauty. Any beautiful girl like her can land a role in nollywood regardless of whether you can act or not. By the way I like Regina a lot, she is fun  but not what you would call a proper actor. She would be in the league of say, Oge Okoye definitely not in the league of Mercy Johnson or Genny when it comes to acting

coogar:
at the expense of the audience? would that really wash?
unless they let them speak unadulterated igbo language and the ish is translated like "passion of the christ" where 90% of the cast were chosen deliberately because they could speak aramaic/hebrew!

and what would be wrong with that?

and in Sarafina, you can hear their accent very well in their English ESPECIALLY the lead actress yet no one had a problem with it. Nigerians are so insecure.

Ndipe:

He who pays the piper dictates the tune, that's the truth in most cases.

If a foreign production company is paying for the rights of this book to be adapted into a movie, then they are at liberty to cast anybody that they deem fit, in this movie. Otherwise, Nollywood could finance this project also and cast a Nigerian actress to play the lead.

Lets stop raising a storm over a teacup.

Gbam!

coogar:

these names would be on my list too, they all have excellent dictions and the elocution is perfect!
you can leave a caucasian with these ones in the movie without having to re-pronounce what they have said. that is the key!

stephanie okereke and dakore egbsuon speak very well too.

Patience actually has PERFECT diction and grasp of the English Language and puts it to effective use. She may not have a   British sounding accent but her command of English is spotless. I put this out there so that you can watch her acting skills closely after this. She has performed roles from gangstress to village woman and back - she is definitely in the top tier. But I digress.

Stephanie Okereke is meh, IMO.

@TOF I agree that Zach Orji is pretty good.

Nigerians get issues sha. Hotel Rwanada had don cheadle as lead cast and he aint fron rwanda. Last King of Scotland had forrest whittaker who is not ugandan play Idi Amin.Invictus had morgan freeman play nelson mandela and freeman aint south african. Hollywood is Hollywood. Big names make a difference and they will compel people in europe and americas to watch it. If you want genevieve nnaji or pete edochie to be in d movie its fine-Just go to alaba and seek for funds and make ur own nollywood movie. If u lucky ozone cinemas might show it.​

coogar:

you are a genius!
i was trying to remember that tv series since. . . . .you just brought it to me right now.
fortunes it was called. . . .lai asadele, liz benson, segun arinze, jt tom west, ramsey nouah and pat attah.
classic tv show. one of the best in naija if not the best.

Yep, one of the best!! Checkmate being the very best!!

ThiefOfHearts:

I would put Zack Orji over Pete Edochie IMO

Sisi_Kill abeg, Regina is a one trick pony

No Karma, it's the writers and directors who make her one dimensional. They capitalize on her beauty at the expense of her talent. Give her a meaty role and you will be amazed at what she can do with it.

Someone like Regina Askia whose beauty can be polarizing on screen is better suited for Soap Opera because it gives the audience the chance to get used to her beauty, look past it and get into her character.

Breeze5000:

By the way I like Regina a lot, she is fun  but not what you would call a proper actor. She would be in the league of say, Oge Okoye definitely not in the league of Mercy Johnson or Genny when it comes to acting

Completely agree

when I watched Distance Between, I knew Mercy wasnt just any kind actress. she was amazing in that role.

ThiefOfHearts:

and what would be wrong with that?

and in Sarafina, you can hear their accent very well in their English ESPECIALLY the lead actress yet no one had a problem with it. Nigerians are so insecure.

my dear, compare like for like.
sarafina was set on location in soweto. they can only use native south africans or what would be the essence of shipping african americans down to soweto?
half of a yellow sun would not be set in nigeria. they would probably use hawaii again as location so there's a striking difference.

Breeze5000:

It's not like anybody is dismissing her, just telling it like it is. She is fun to be with or be around but she is not what you call an actor. Trust me when I say I know,  They use her because of her beauty. Any beautiful girl like her can land a role in nollywood regardless of whether you can act or not. By the way I like Regina a lot, she is fun  but not what you would call a proper actor. She would be in the league of say, Oge Okoye definitely not in the league of Mercy Johnson or Genny when it comes to acting

genevieve can act i agree mercy johnson knows how to be whorish in movies but genevieve?
i don't think so.

Point 1: Thandie Newton would help with film's promotion and hence generate more revenue.

Point 2: How many Nigerian actresses can really act before producers can find an Igbo one.

Point 3: If you want to make real money in film, you audience will not have a jack arse clue what is authentic Igbo accent, hence Thandie will be just fine.

Money over inane cultural pride.

coogar:

half of a yellow sun would not be set in nigeria. they would probably use hawaii again as location so there's a striking difference.

where did you get this info from?

and how would it make ANY sense NOT to shoot the movie in Naija?  

Sagamite:

Point 1: Thandie Newton would help with film's promotion and hence generate more revenue.

That is what Chiwetel is for.

Can any of you even name a movie Thandie has been in? Im quite sure I know whether or not she's actually talented more than those in this thread.

ThiefOfHearts:

where did you get this info from?

and how would it make ANY sense NOT to shoot the movie in Naija?  

the politically unstable nigeria?
mine-ridden fields of congo republic have a better chance. . . .

coogar:


genevieve can act i agree mercy johnson knows how to be whorish in movies but genevieve?
i don't think so.

LMFAO!  

I thought I was the only one who felt that way about Genevieve!!

Just frowning all over the place like someone who in a perpetual state of depression with all the world's problems on her shoulder. Even she is supposed to be in Love and Happy. . .you can't feel it with her because she comes off as if everything is such a chore and she'd rather not deal with it.

Sisi_Kill:

LMFAO!  

I thought I was the only one who felt that way about Genevieve!!

Just frowning all over the place like someone who in a perpetual state of depression with all the world's problems on her shoulder. Even she is supposed to be in Love and Happy. . .you can't feel it with her because she comes off as if everything is such a chore and she'd rather not deal with it.

the most overrated nollywood actress of all time!

Sisi_Kill:

Yep, one of the best!! Checkmate being the very best!!

No Karma, it's the writers and directors who make her one dimensional. They capitalize on her beauty at the expense of her talent. Give her a meaty role and you will be amazed at what she can do with it.

Someone like Regina Askia whose beauty can be polarizing on screen is better suited for Soap Opera because it gives the audience the chance to get used to her beauty, look past it and get into her character.

This is the situation for most Nollywood actors, unfortunately  .

I can think of several Nigerian actresses, however, who would have done a better job with that HIV victim role in the clip I posted.

Back to the subject of Nollywood - I wonder why no one has thought to toy with Historical Nigerian movies (not pre-colonial though. More like pre or post independence).

I mean who wouldn't want to see a thriller based on Nigeria's first coup, starring actors who will take on the roles of Nzeogwu, Balewa, Ironsi, Gowon, Ojukwu, Awolowo, IBB, etc? Controversial movies like that will sell like hotcake  

ThiefOfHearts:

That is what Chiwetel is for.

Can any of you even name a movie Thandie has been in? Im quite sure I know whether or not she's actually talented more than those in this thread.

As a producer, if I can throw Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey, Morgan Freeman, Queen Latifah, Don Cheadle, Vivica Fox all in, I would.

The more the merrier.

I know she was in Crash and Mission Impossible, that is far better than any Igbo girl can bring to the table to help my top line (Revenue).

ThiefOfHearts:

That is what Chiwetel is for.

Can any of you even name a movie Thandie has been in?   Im quite sure I know whether or not she's actually talented more than those in this thread.

Honestly though - I think she will give a cringe-worthy performance. Kinda like how she was in Crash (HORRIBLE African American accent). Ah well, let's see how things go.

I have a feeling that the actors won't lend an authenticity that Nigerians can identify with. However, as Nigerians are not the main audience I can't see how this will bother the producers.

Nnenna1:

Back to the subject of Nollywood - I wonder why no one has thought to toy with Historical Nigerian movies (not pre-colonial though. More like pre or post independence).

I mean who wouldn't want to see a thriller based on Nigeria's first coup, starring actors who will take on the roles of Nzeogwu, Balewa, Ironsi, Gowon, Ojukwu, Awolowo, IBB, etc? Controversial movies like that will sell like hotcake  

Agreed.

Sisi, abeg stop hating on Genny! Go and watch Genny in Emerald. her and Majid?

Hmmm.
Well here's the thing: movie production (and casting) has never been about ethnicity or sentiments (not even in Nollywood, where quantity is a lot more importatnt than quality); it's about business. Hollywood didn't become what it is today by sympathizing with mediocrity. In fact, Hollywood today is made up of stakeholders - actors, directors, e.t.c. - many of whom are not American by ancestry. That would not have been if producers insist on casting Americans for "American parts". The guys who adapted this story into a movie thought about it and decided on the choice of Thandie Newton for that part. It's that simple. We should be more concerned with developing Nollywood to become world-class, rather than waiting for hand outs from Hollywood.

I bet the producers have their own reasons for casting Thandie,(biz as usual).I guess this will be  more of a Brit Flick than anything else as she isn't that popular in the U.S,more reason why they should have taken a risk and cast an unknown actress of African origin,there must be a few African actresses in the west-end surely

I wonder if they approached Sophie Okenedo who  IMO would have been a better option than Thandie. All in all I'm yet to watch a movie that replicates the book's basic story line, Hollywood or not, producers,directors etc never completely get it right when it comes to" Book to movie" so I will leave Olanna  and Kainene to my imagination!!!

coogar:

the politically unstable nigeria?
mine-ridden fields of congo republic have a better chance. . . .

abeg knowing how much Nigerians like to worship oyibo "visitors", Im sure your yeye president will do whatever he can to put the violence on hold until production is over

madprof, what does Hollywood have to do with this discussion?

Nnenna1:

Honestly though - I think she will give a cringe-worthy performance. Kinda like how she was in Crash (HORRIBLE African American accent). Ah well, let's see how things go.

I have a feeling that the actors won't lend an authenticity that Nigerians can identify with. However, as Nigerians are not the main audience I can't see how this will bother the producers.

She was nominated for several awards for her role in Crash including NAACP.

Even if she mashes up igbo accent, frankly, most of the people that matter (audiences in Western cinema) will not have a clue or give a shyt.

Freesia:

I All in all I'm yet to watch a movie that replicates the book's basic story line,

You people must not watch a lot of movies.

ThiefOfHearts:

You people must not watch a lot of movies.

Not as much as I used to
Please name me a few

Sagamite:

She was nominated for several awards for her role in Crash including NAACP.

My friend. stop lying. what award? all her awards have been token black person awards. awards solely given for being black. That's it. NAACP/BlackImage/etc, na award be that?

I would rather be nominated for an Oscar aka Okenedo or a SAG award than some pity "thank you for putting your black face in this film to make people think it's a diverse movie" award.

Freesia:

Not as much as I used to
Please name me a few

why didnt they change the books and have Harry Potter be American? or even Black?

ThiefOfHearts:

My friend. stop lying. what award? all her awards have been token black person awards. awards solely given for being black. That's it. NAACP/BlackImage/etc, na award be that?

I would rather be nominated for an Oscar aka Okenedo or a SAG award than some pity "thank you for putting your black face in this film to make people think it's a diverse movie" award.

Bafta no be black award na.

Neither is London Film critics award.

Or Screen Actors Guild Award.

And why are you racist against we blacks?

Sagamite:

She was nominated for several awards for her role in Crash including NAACP.

Even if she mashes up igbo accent, frankly, most of the people that matter (audiences in Western cinema) will not have a clue or give a shyt.

If she was nominated then it was more for the political underpinnings in the movie than her talent (much more lol).

But you're right, the average western viewer wouldn't give a toss about her accent or any of the nuances that would make the movie authentic.

I think a lot of people don't find her that good of an actress though.

Nnenna1:

If she was nominated then it was more for the political underpinnings in the movie than her talent (much more lol).

But you're right, the average western viewer wouldn't give a toss about her accent or any of the nuances that would make the movie authentic.

I think a lot of people don't find her that good of an actress though.

No doubt the fact she is like a stick and light skined makes her appealing/sexy to white boys and might have helped her career in getting good roles.

Oyinbo like pankere body that you will fear the wind will blow the person away, with light skin and bony face.

Sagamite:

Bafta no be black award na.

Neither is London Film critics award.

Or Screen Actors Guild Award.

Screen Actor Guild was given to the entire cast of Crash, not just her.

and if anything that movie got awards because it was about racism and by not nominating a movie based on racism, the foreign press would have been seen as racist. Crash was a mediocre movie that was given attention by fake white liberals so as to seem "tolerant"

just like this stupid "The Help" movie


How come you forgot to mention that she received a RAZZIE for Mission Impossible II.  I dont know any truly talented actress/actor that has received a razzie o. yet na that one you want representing you. O kare!

And why are you racist against we blacks?

By the time i break that your massive head eh  

Can any of you even name a movie Thandie has been in? 

she was with will smith in pursuit of happyness [that was the first time i heard of her and i may have even posted a review here- not sure].

then she acted with chiwetel in 2012 as the president's daughter.


not sure why she and chiwetel are following each other around.

they're certainly no julia roberts and richard gere, imo.

if dem wan marry make dem marry- or is one of them not getting the message.

ThiefOfHearts:

How come you forgot to mention that she received a RAZZIE for Mission Impossible II.  I dont know any truly talented actress/actor that has received a razzie o. yet na that one you want representing you. O kare!

You are a bloody liar!

What about Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Jenny McCarthy and Paris Hilton?

ThiefOfHearts:

By the time i break that your massive head eh  

Racist trying to disparage our own black brothers and sisters awards.

Working for the whiteman to bring us down.