Bovi Says He Still Turns Down Roles To Avoid Typecasting
Comedian Bovi Ugboma has said that he still turns down movie roles in 2026 to avoid being typecast, nearly 20 years after he first became prominent.
The icon made this known in an interactive session with the CreativiTea podcast, noting that he started rejecting offers early in his career after playing the rustic “Warri boy” in the comedy series Extended Family, which premiered in 2007.
According to him, the role brought him fame but also limited offers. “I started to get offers in Nollywood, but they were all tied to either being like that character, or a gateman, or a passive role, and I turned all of them down,” he said.
READ ALSO: US Immigration: Ope Banwo Launches Monthly Newsletter
Bovi, who was born in Benin City and raised in Warri, said the decision came from a conviction he has as a teenager, stressing that watching Hollywood and Bollywood taught him how actors get boxed into one identity if they are not careful.
Speaking further, he opined that he was in his late 20s at the time and under pressure to take any job, but chose to hold out. “It’s too early for me to get stereotypical in my approach to my career,” he stated.
The father of three said he still rejects some roles today and always explains his reasons, adding that while he wants to make money, he knows “there is more to me than to be typecast.”
When asked what advice he has for young actors, Bovi said they should stick to their goals despite pressure, saying that, “If you know what you want, just stick to it no matter what comes your way because a lot of people would just be like, oh, I’m hungry now. I need to take these roles,” he said.
He therefore pleaded by admonishing young minds to build their brand so opportunities will come naturally. “Make yourself sugar so that opportunities, the ants, could come to you naturally,” he advised.
BY ABDULBAQI JIBREEL AJAO
