Nigerian actress and filmmaker Omoni Oboli has shared a troubling experience from her career that highlights the challenges women face in the entertainment industry. During a recent appearance on comedian AY’s “Glasshouse Show,” Oboli recounted a disturbing incident where she lost a movie role due to her refusal to comply with an inappropriate request from a film director.
Oboli explained that the incident occurred after she returned to Nigeria from abroad, where she had taken a break to raise her children. Upon attending an audition, she was taken aback when the director asked her to kiss him as part of the audition process. “One director asked me to kiss him at an audition, and I couldn’t understand why he would do that,” she stated. Her confusion and discomfort were evident as she recounted her reaction to the unexpected request.
During the audition, the director insisted, saying, “Yeah, I just want to see.” However, Oboli stood her ground, asserting, “Sorry, I can’t do it because I didn’t see any reason I would be kissing you, the director, when we are not on set.” Her refusal was a clear indication of her principles, as she felt the request crossed a professional boundary.
Despite her confidence in rejecting the inappropriate advance, Oboli faced the unfortunate consequence of not being cast in the film. She shared, “Guess what? I didn’t get the role that I travelled for, and I ended up travelling back without playing the role.” This revelation explains the difficult decisions many actors, particularly women, must make when confronted with unethical situations in their careers.
