Linda Obasi is a New York-based Nigerian Actress who wouldn’t accept some roles she described as “demeaning” offered to black people back in the days before diverse streaming platforms.
In an exclusive interview with the Ghanaian American Journal, Linda shared her experience of how she avoided roles she felt only put Africans in a stereotyped representation.
For someone who spent the majority of her life in the diaspora, she decided to open doors for herself and other black actors by becoming a film producer.
“The way I bridged the gap was to create work for myself in roles I hadn’t yet seen black girls play. I didn’t go to auditions back in those days when I saw they wanted a drug addict or a hard woman with no nuance or fragility.
I didn’t go because I felt there was too much of that already on television when I was growing up. Too many black women on screen cursing, wretched, dirty, poor, prison inmates, promiscuous, those kinds of things, which are all okay if there were also other depictions and variety like we are seeing today” She said.
Linda became a producer to enable her to craft captivating and dynamic narratives that portray Africans in a human and complex light.
“I’m so glad that today there are so many movies, so many shows, Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Africa Magic, HBO, Showmax, RokTV, theatrical releases, and many brilliant independent films displayed everywhere from festivals to even YouTube.
Now that there are more roles for black people, I can focus on acting, which is my original interest, my original calling” She added.
The US-based film star early last year relaunched “EnyiCast” a casting App that allows one to see what jobs and casting calls are available in Nigeria.
Producers can use the app to find actors for movies, television, radio, and stage based on particular parameters including location, age, gender, skill set, and even body type.
With this App, she believes a lot of new actors will get the opportunity to be on the screens.
“Let’s say 10 to 15 years ago, the Nigerian movies I would watch, and even today I notice they use the same faces many times in one year.
I felt like when somebody’s face is selling, then they overdo it. So I was like, Okay, what about unknown actors who want the chance to be seen? She argued.
EnyiCast is currently in a publicity phase with over 3000 jobs posted already since its recent launch. Countless actors have already booked roles on EnyiCast.
Linda Obasi holds a Masters of Fine Arts in Acting from The Theatre School (DePaul University) and a Bachelor of Arts in Film from Cornell University.
She made her stage debut at the age of twelve in a production of the musical Oliver Twist in the Bronx, New York.
Linda also played Adhaobi in Overseas, Abeba in Waking Kya, Sylvia in Uniform Justice, Nan/Lina in Three Days of Rain, the Chorus in Electra, and Thaisa in Pericles, Prince of Tyre.
She also studied Western classical music, concentrating on voice and piano.
She believes that new actors will have more opportunities to succeed, and more fresh and distinctive African stories will be showcased to the world.