Nigerian comedian and actor Bovi has explained why he turned down acting roles early in his career, saying he did not want to be typecast after becoming known for his “Warri boy” character in Extended Family.

Speaking on the CreativiTea podcast, Bovi said the roles coming his way were largely variations of the character he had already played, including gateman and passive roles.

“We all stood out in our different ways, and because my character was playing that typical Warri boy, the rustic village one. I started to get offers in Nollywood, but they were all tied to either being like that character, or a gate man, you know, or a passive role, and I turned all of them down. Yeah, because I was like, I know there’s more to me, you know, I grew up watching TV, I grew up understanding how different industries work, Hollywood, Bollywood, so I was like, it’s too early for me to get stereotypical in my approach to my career," he said.

Bovi said he had understood the risk of typecasting since his teenage years and noted that he still turns down roles today when they do not align with what he wants as an actor.

He, however, said typecasting is not necessarily a bad thing if an actor deliberately chooses it as a career path: 

“I want to earn money, I want to make money, but I know there is more to me than to be typecast. So, today I still turn down roles, actually, you know, and I explain why.”

Bovi also advised younger creatives to stick to what they want, while acknowledging that financial pressure can make it difficult to reject available opportunities.