Nollywood icon Genevieve Nnaji has revealed that a career in acting was never part of her original plan, it was fashion that first captured her heart.
Speaking in a candid interview with Bollywood actress Tara Sutaria at Cannes 2026, the celebrated star reflected on her path into the entertainment industry and the broader role of women in film.
“My first experience on TV was at age 8. I think film chose me,” she said. “I didn’t think I was going to be an actor — that was not a dream. I knew I wanted to be in the creative space, but fashion was my first love.”
The actress also pushed back against familiar stereotypes that shadow women in the industry, noting that a woman who knows what she wants and how she wants it is too often dismissed as difficult.
Nnaji also challenged assumptions about actors as a whole, quipping that not every performer is the life of the party — some, she admitted, would rather stay home and sleep.
On the shifting landscape for women behind the camera, Nnaji was both celebratory and clear-eyed. She pointed to a growing wave of female filmmakers finally gaining the platform to tell stories from a woman’s perspective — stories she says have been silenced for centuries — while cautioning that the industry has barely begun to tap that potential.
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