I Was Criticised For My Role In ‘Nneka The Pretty Serpent’ – Idia Aisien

By G9ija

Fast-rising actress, Idia Aisien has opened up about the heavy criticism she faced for her debut role in “Nneka the Pretty Serpent.”

Specifically, some Nigerian audiences were disappointed to see a non-Igbo, dark-skinned actress play the lead role, which was originally played by a light-skinned, Igbo veteran actress named Ndidi Obi.

Despite playing alongside notable actors like Bovi Ugboma and Beverly Osu, Aisien shared that the criticism initially affected her, but she was encouraged by the positive reviews she received from the international community.

In an interview with Chude Jideonwo, the 31-year-old actress expressed her disappointment with some of the negative feedback she received upon the movie’s release in Nigerian cinemas.

“Comments about me not being light-skinned or Igbo, about me destroying what meant something to a lot of Nigerians. Nigerians loved their veteran actors. They love their Nollywood classics.

“So, it was something that I just wished people could see how much passion went into it at the time.

“But, with the international market, and the kind of feedback we are getting, I am getting messages from the Philippines, French Guiana, Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica, and Los Angeles.

“I was hurt at first because Nneka is a fictional character and anyone could bring something different to the character but I don’t think that tribe and skin colour should matter.

“I mean, Black Panther was Americans pretending like they are in Africa. A lot of people who criticised it (the film- Nneka the pretty serpent), criticised it because of the choice of Nneka, which broke my heart.

“When Nneka came out, some were like, ‘we heard Idia killed it o’. This very famous female said, ‘abeg, I am sure she paid for that job’.

“She saw me recently and was nice to me. She said she finally watched it, and it was great, but you know when you hear stuff, it’s like, ‘do I take the one I heard you say’. or ‘do I take how you feel now that you have watched it’. This is why it is important to give people a chance.”