“I BLEACHED MY SKIN TO GET MOVIE ROLES”: HABIBAT JINADU SAYS DIRECTORS CALLED HER TOO DARK

Veteran Yoruba actress Habibat Jinadu says she bleached her skin to get movie roles, and that Habibat Jinadu bleached skin story exposes a quiet bias in Nollywood. She says directors told her she was too dark for the camera.

ValidViewNetwork reports that she spoke in an interview with BBC Yoruba.

“TOO DARK” UNDER THE LIGHTS

Jinadu said directors favoured fair-skinned actors, and that people who were not fair were rarely called for jobs. She recalled directors saying she looked too dark whenever lights were turned on during a shoot.

She said she tried to ignore the remarks until a cruel comparison to an animal pushed her over the edge.

She also named a second barrier. She said she believed her dark skin and her slim body limited her chances of getting roles.

WHAT BLEACHING GAVE, AND TOOK

Jinadu said she bleached her skin and waited for the roles she expected, and that the roles did start coming. But she said fans and colleagues no longer recognised her.

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She said she was unhappy with the experience but kept going as she tried to establish herself.

The cost showed on her body. She said minor bruises on set caused injuries and skin tears.

According to her, change came in 2023, when she became pregnant and had to stop. She said that after she stopped, people insulted her and called her names.

She has since turned to self-acceptance. She says she now believes that black is beautiful.

Weeks earlier, she posted photos and videos documenting her bleaching journey. She said she did it to encourage people battling habits they want to leave, not to seek sympathy.

The BBC Yoruba interview adds the industry context behind that journey.

A WIDER PROBLEM

Her account matches a long-running complaint. Reports note that skin bleaching is a long-running issue across Nigeria and Africa, and health experts have warned about the dangers of some lightening creams.

Many social media users said colourism remains a real problem in the entertainment industry.

Frantz Fanon described the pressure to wear a lighter mask in a world that rewards it. Casting is a market with buyers and sellers, and Jinadu’s story shows what happens when the buyers set the price of a face.

WHAT NEXT

No director or production company has been named in the coverage seen, and none has responded. The Habibat Jinadu bleached skin account raises a casting question for every producer. Talent should not need a lighter shade to get through the door. ValidViewNetwork reports.