Nollywood actress Bimbo Thomas has explained why she stopped taking “thug” roles after gaining widespread recognition for her performance in Funke Akindele’s film Omo Ghetto.
In an interview with Chude, the thespian said she made the choice on purpose because she did not want to be known for only one type of character.
Bimbo said she wanted people to see that she could act in many forms, not only as a street tough person.
She explained that in the industry, many actors are often fixed in one image, and she did not want her career to go in that direction.
She believed she had more to offer and wanted room to show it. She also shared that the choice was not easy.
At that time, she was still building her career, and stepping away from such roles slowed her down. Work was reduced, money was reduced, and even some friendships were affected.
Later, when she had a baby, she had to focus more on her child. Endorsement deals helped during that period.
Bimbo rose to fame after her tough street role in Omo Ghetto, one of the most popular Nigerian films, which later returned with a sequel titled Omo Ghetto: The Saga.
Her strong performance drew more attention to her, but it also placed her in a narrow role space.
She said she walked away from such characters so that her future roles would not be limited.
She said, “Yes, I did stop. You know, as a thespian, I really wanted to showcase myself, my versatility and other sides of myself apart from what God has used Funke Akindele to do. In this part of the world, actors get stereotyped and typecast, and I knew I had more to offer than being boxed into one role.
“Looking back, the decision may not have been right at the time because I was not yet fully established. But I was also afraid that if I became too well-known for that image, it would be harder to diversify later. If I had started producing then, things might have been different.
“That choice slowed things down for me. Then I had a baby and needed to focus on my child. Thankfully, endorsements came in; otherwise, it would have been tough. I paid a price for that decision. I lost roles, I lost money, and even some friendships.”
