By Ayo Onikoyi

Veteran Nollywood actress and filmmaker Uche Jombo has advised aspiring actors to take advantage of social media to showcase their talent, warning that many young performers are failing to maximize opportunities available to them.

Jombo spoke on Wednesday during the AMVCA 12 Young Filmmaker’s Day, themed “Audacious Storytelling and Attracting the Right Opportunities,” where she stressed that today’s generation of actors has access to platforms previous generations never enjoyed.

According to her, social media has become a powerful tool for visibility and self-promotion in the entertainment industry, especially for actors trying to break into Nollywood.

“I keep saying that this generation of actors are so lucky, but that luck makes no sense if you’re not using it,” she said. “If you have social media and you’re not pushing or marketing yourself right, just do your monologue.”

Her comments came amid conversations sparked by filmmaker Kemi Adetiba, who recently issued an open call for monologue submissions for her upcoming project, The Stool. Adetiba later criticised many of the entries, describing them as “overly theatrical” and unsuitable for casting consideration.

Building on that point, Jombo said aspiring actors must treat their social media pages as professional portfolios rather than casual personal spaces.

She revealed that many young actors frequently send her direct messages seeking acting opportunities, yet fail to display any evidence of their craft online.

“Anytime someone disturbs my page about acting and I go to your page and I don’t see one single thing that makes you an actor on that page, I’m leaving,” she said.

Jombo maintained that posting monologues online is one of the easiest ways for actors to demonstrate commitment, talent and consistency.

“If you’re an actor and you don’t have a monologue on your page, what are you doing?” she asked.

The actress also stressed the importance of consistency, describing it as a major factor that separates successful actors from those who remain stagnant in their careers.

“You need consistency. You grow only by consistency,” she added.

Industry stakeholders have increasingly emphasized authenticity and emotional delivery in audition tapes, with many filmmakers now scouting for talent directly through online platforms.

Jombo concluded that actors must continuously market themselves at every opportunity, noting that visibility in today’s entertainment industry can determine career growth and access to roles.