Chinedu Ikedieze, aka Aki, a veteran Nigerian actor, has claimed that the social media phrase “Old Nollywood vs New Nollywood” was coined by overzealous Gen Z performers in an attempt to assert superiority.
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He claims that Gen Z actors are constantly attempting to portray themselves as “the best” and “Hollywood standard.”
Ikedieze said on the latest episode of the TeaTalk podcast, hosted by actress Toke Makinwa, “There’s this thing now, Old Nollywood and New Nollywood.” It’s ridiculous.
“I believe the Gen Zs in Nollywood are attempting to make it appear as if, ‘Oh! We’re the most recent. We’re the Hollywood norm. We are unrivalled. We know everything.”
However, his fellow podcast guest, comedian Bovi, disagreed with him.
“It’s not even just them [Gen Z]. Let me tell you one thing that is common. I think it’s general in Nigeria but let me speak on the entertainment industry. Those before tend to look down on newcomers. They would be like, ‘Who’s this? Me, I’ve been in this business. I’m an aunty. She just came and said hi. Who’s this guy? He can’t behave himself. Does he know how long you’ve been doing it?’
“They [older actors] have been doing that. The reason many of us are relating with people like you [Ikedieze] is because when we came into the industry, you didn’t snub us. But the a**holes that are out there… We know them. And now they act all cool.
“So, it’s not just a Gen Z thing, the Old Nollywood, there are many of them who have seniority complexes,” Bovi said