Jim Iyke has revealed how his refusal to play minor roles and his determination to redefine standards in Nollywood established him as one of the industry’s most recognisable names.
“When I came into Nollywood, they refused to give me lead roles. I refused to take small roles. It was a deadlock,” he stated. “Producers called me stubborn. They thought I was arrogant, but I had a plan.”
He recounted a pivotal moment when, after being offered a lead role in ‘Prisoner’, he decided to elevate the production’s quality himself.
“They gave me 22,000 naira. I took 18,000 and bought my own costumes. I wanted to look like the rich character I was playing. They thought I was crazy, but it worked.”
Jim said his insistence on excellence was born out of a desire to prove himself beyond industry bias.
“I told a producer who mocked me, ‘Very soon you’ll work for me.’ I didn’t know why I said it, but it came from conviction.”
The actor said that his so-called “bad boy” image was a strategic choice. “They thought it was just attitude. But I had an agenda, to impose myself on a system that refused to see my worth.”
