Actor Uzor Arukwe Seeks Break From Repeated ‘Odogwu’ Roles
Kehinde Adeleye
Nollywood actor Uzor Arukwe has urged film producers to stop restricting him to “Odogwu” characters, saying he is capable of taking on diverse roles beyond the personality that has become associated with him on screen.
Arukwe made the appeal during an interview on The Creativitea Podcast, where he said producers repeatedly offered him similar characters because they believed the roles would guarantee returns on their investments.
“All the producers in Nollywood now want to kill me with Odogwu character. You can’t put me in a box,” the actor said.
He encouraged producers to experiment with other characters and give him opportunities to explore different dimensions of his acting, just as someone had taken a chance on the role that helped establish his popularity.
“The same way someone took a chance on that character, you can also create another character and give to me,” he said.
The comments come amid discussions about Arukwe’s recurring portrayal of characters associated with Igbo mannerisms, often referred to by fans as “igbotic” roles.
His manager, Mautin Tairu, popularly known as Mr M, recently acknowledged sharing some viewers’ frustration with the actor’s frequent performances in such roles.
According to *Daily Post*, Tairu made the remark while responding to a fan, R. Ekpedeme, on X. The fan had complained about Arukwe’s frequent shouting in the roles.
“Uzor needs to leave the igbotic roles for a while. I need a break from the shouting,” the fan wrote.
Arukwe’s appeal highlights the tension actors can face when a popular screen persona becomes a recurring commercial choice for producers, potentially limiting opportunities to demonstrate their range.
