Nigerian actor Shola ‘Lagata’ Akintunde has revealed that his success in playing criminal characters in Yoruba movies has come with an unexpected downside, limiting his opportunities for brand endorsements and other roles in the entertainment industry.
Akintunde, who has built a reputation for portraying thugs, criminals and other tough characters on screen, said some brands and members of the public have begun associating him so strongly with such roles that it has affected how they perceive him outside the movies.
Speaking in an interview on Oyinmomo, the actor said he has deliberately started turning down some criminal roles and accepting more gentle characters in an attempt to diversify his acting career.
“I’ve avoided some of those criminal roles because I noticed the roles are preventing me from getting endorsements from brands,” he said.
Akintunde recalled an encounter with a man who jokingly told him that he would have been a perfect choice to promote firearms if guns were ever legalised in Nigeria.
“A man once told me that if Nigeria legalised guns, I would have been used to promote it, and I was confused. So it’s depriving me of so many things,” he said.
The actor explained that constantly playing criminals can influence how people perceive an actor, even though the characters are fictional.
“People who play these criminal roles are seen as irresponsible people. So I’ve considered those things and avoided some criminal roles and started diversifying to other gentle roles,” he added.
However, Akintunde said his association with criminal characters was not something he deliberately planned when he began acting. According to him, his first acting role was that of a thug, and his performance impressed those who discovered his potential in such characters.
“I didn’t choose the criminal roles. The first scene I ever acted in, I was a thug in the film,” he said.
He recalled that Sola Aderounmu and his boss encouraged him to develop the role after noticing that his physical appearance and performance suited tough characters.
“They said I did it well and told me to pay attention to it. They said it’s befitting for me because of my height and my strong face,” Akintunde said.
His reputation in such roles grew further after he appeared in a movie featuring veteran actor Dele Odule. Akintunde said Odule was impressed by his performance and personally encouraged him to continue developing his craft.
“When I acted as a criminal in a movie that featured Dele Odule, he was very impressed by my performance. Odule called me and encouraged me,” he added.
While the criminal roles helped establish Akintunde’s identity in the Yoruba film industry, the actor now appears determined to ensure that the same image does not define the limits of his career.
By taking on more diverse and gentle characters, he hopes to show audiences and potential brands that there is more to his acting ability than the criminals and thugs he has become known for.
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