Nollywood icon Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde is drawing a line in the sand over the industry’s growing reliance on viral stunts. During a recent appearance on TVC Entertainment, the veteran actress and filmmaker addressed the trend of forcing actors to participate in TikTok dance challenges to market movies, labeling the practice as “unprofessional” when it becomes a mandatory chore.
“Omotosexy” clarified that while she loves to dance for fun, she refuses to do it “forcefully” just to sell a project. She argued that an actor’s primary responsibility ends with delivering a top-tier performance and participating in traditional press runs. According to her, the burden of viral marketing and content creation shouldn’t fall solely on the talent, comparing the situation to Hollywood where stars like Leonardo DiCaprio aren’t expected to “do stunts” on social media to ensure a film’s success.
The debate comes as Omotola prepares for the release of her directorial debut, “Mother’s Love,” set to hit cinemas on March 6, 2026. Her stance has sparked a massive conversation across the Nigerian creative space, with fans and peers debating whether Nollywood’s “TikTok-first” marketing strategy is elevating the industry or demeaning its legendary veterans
