Jim Iyke says his Nollywood “bad boy” image was a career strategy

Jim Iyke has revealed how his refusal to play minor roles and his determination to redefine standards in Nollywood established him as one of the industry’s most recognisable names.

“When I came into Nollywood, they refused to give me lead roles. I refused to take small roles. It was a deadlock,” he stated. “Producers called me stubborn. They thought I was arrogant, but I had a plan.”

He recounted a pivotal moment when, after being offered a lead role in ‘Prisoner’, he decided to elevate the production’s quality himself.

“They gave me 22,000 naira. I took 18,000 and bought my own costumes. I wanted to look like the rich character I was playing. They thought I was crazy, but it worked.”

Jim said his insistence on excellence was born out of a desire to prove himself beyond industry bias.

“I told a producer who mocked me, ‘Very soon you’ll work for me.’ I didn’t know why I said it, but it came from conviction.”

The actor said that his so-called “bad boy” image was a strategic choice. “They thought it was just attitude. But I had an agenda, to impose myself on a system that refused to see my worth.”