Veteran Nollywood actor Roy De Nani has opened up about the harsh realities he faced in the film industry and the personal tragedies that have marked his life. In a candid interview on the ‘Where is the Lie’ podcast, he disclosed that he was once effectively blacklisted from acting jobs, with a powerful figure instructing that he should never be hired again. According to De Nani, even when he had secured a recording, producers would intervene and halt the project, leaving him struggling for years.
Beyond his professional woes, De Nani shared the emotional devastation of losing his brother, noting that no fellow actor or actress offered support during that dark time. He stated, ‘When my brother passed away, not a single person from Nollywood came to see me.’ The actor then revealed an even more tragic chapter: the loss of both his son and daughter due to financial constraints. His children had sickle cell disorder and required regular blood transfusions, but he could not afford the life-saving procedures. ‘I lost my son and daughter because there was no money to buy blood for their transfusions,’ he recounted.
De Nani expressed disappointment in the Nollywood community for not stepping in to help during his time of need. He remarked, ‘The industry never came to my aid. It’s not that they don’t care, but perhaps they haven’t been touched by my story. Let me put it that way.’