Veteran, Jim Iyke, says modern day actors got fame on a platter of gold

Nigerian thespian, Jim Iyke has opined that the majority of modern day actors found fame and success on a platter of gold.

Speaking during an interview session with HIPTV, the veteran actor stated that years of the organised film industry in Nigeria, made a distinction between new-age actors and others who lived through the “grit and grind” of Nollywood’s inception.

Iyke pointed out that, with social media, anyone who possesses “decent” acting skills can become famous overnight.

“My generation came through the fire, blood, the tears, and sweat. Anybody can be an overnight success on social media these days. If you have any decent acting skills, you become a superstar in no time,” the 45-year-old said.

Read also: Jim Iyke reacts to report of converting to Islam

“It’s not to knock the hustle or the opportunities that avail themselves. I’m just saying that I came from a different time where you had to fight and claw for it. We had to deal with lots of pressure that are not prevalent these days.

“And all for the new cadre of actors, some of them are really breaking their backs to understand how to do this business properly and understand that it’s about the input, not watered-down processes.

“The sweat is important and that’s what forges the character. A lot of people don’t have character these days. People from the old are not necessarily better gifted but they went through it with challenges that forged them.

“Guys that find themselves in-between the two generations are the special ones. Guys of today got it handed down on a platter of gold. Accolades should be given across both divides.”

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