Are professional actors being replaced with influencers? Actress, Linda Sokhulu thinks so

In a recent conversation on Relebogile Mabotja’s podcast, South African actress Linda Sokhulu articulated what has quietly become one of the most pressing crises in modern film industries across Africa: the collision of acting as a craft and acting as a commodity.

For Sokhulu, the disparity became clear in something as simple as scrolling through social media.

“There are times I will deliberately look for an actor I have such great respect for just to see,” she said, “and then I’ll see that they’ve got fewer followers than a person who’s an influencer. And that’s not to say the influencer doesn’t deserve their followers. But for me, it says these are two completely different jobs that are now being forced to look like one."

Her words echo the frustrations of many Nollywood actors who have openly lamented being sidelined by casting directors because their follower count wasn’t high enough.

For some producers, the size of an actor’s digital footprint has become as important, sometimes even more important, than their skill in front of the camera.

And this is where Sokhulu’s critique cuts deep: acting is a discipline, one that demands long hours of rehearsal, psychological exploration of character, and even solitude.

“When I’m quietly in my house, sitting there looking at lines and trying to focus on what a character’s needs are,” she explained, “social media then says my relevance should be X number.”

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The clash isn’t merely about ego. It’s about survival. Professional actors who are trained thespians who have spent years perfecting their craft are increasingly being nudged toward content creation, not out of passion, but necessity.

It is as if to secure roles in an industry they have dedicated their lives to, they must also master the art of personal branding, product placement, and lifestyle vlogging.

Yet Sokhulu points out a crucial flaw in this thinking: “It’s never been proven that because you’ve got 15 million followers, you’re going to make the show popular.”

Indeed, Nollywood, Hollywood and even Mzanziwood have examples of influencer-led productions that failed to resonate beyond initial hype.

Followers may generate buzz, but buzz does not guarantee longevity. What sustains film, as history shows, is the power of storytelling, and storytelling lives and dies by the depth of its performers.

This is not to dismiss influencers or diminish the talent some bring to film. As Sokhulu herself admitted, some people balance the duality beautifully.

Nor is this argument about drawing rigid lines; many actors today do thrive both as thespians and as digital personalities. But the problem arises when artistry is considered “lesser” simply because it doesn’t come with high visibility on Instagram or TikTok.

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The issue Linda Sokhulu raises isn’t unique to South African film; it’s hitting Nollywood with full force.

Many homegrown thespians have publicly shared how their skills were sidelined in favour of social media influence.

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Jemima Osunde blasted the trend during a podcast interview, saying,

“Now they’re forcing actors to be social media content creators… If you’re not an actor with a social media presence, you’re not going to be cast because we need you to sell our film. That shouldn’t be my job!”

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Uzor Arukwe, a theatre-trained actor, lamented how his follower count once hampered casting opportunities:

“There was a time in this industry when it was mostly about Instagram and Twitter followers… I didn’t understand it… Production house wants to hire you, and they’re looking at your numbers. But can he act? That is the question I always ask."

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Deyemi Okanlawon described how he felt sidelined in his early career

“Not having enough followers hindered me… I’d say, ‘Why am I being judged by the number of followers? I can come to set and give my all!’”

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Segun Arinze, one of Nollywood’s elder statesmen, went even further,

“Today’s crop of actors are not grounded… They only want to be popular and chase followers… They aren’t disciplined, they lack knowledge, and talent alone isn’t enough.”

Emma Ugolee, influential media voice and defender of acting integrity, called out this “unwritten rule” that keeps skilled, lesser-followed actors sidelined:

“Some actors just want to act without being popular… Stop pressuring professionals into meeting follower quotas. Quality should matter, not popularity."

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Thankfully, not all directors have bent to the algorithmic tide. Nigerian filmmaker Kemi Adetiba’s To Kill a Monkey stands as proof that casting for talent still matters.

The series brought together actors who were less concerned with social media clout and more focused on embodying complex, layered characters, and the result was a critical triumph.

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The danger of erasure

The larger danger, however, is subtle but insidious: the slow erasure of thespians. Actors who once would have been recognised for their dedication to the craft are now made to feel invisible if they do not double as content creators.

The industry’s unspoken message seems to be: perform on stage, but also perform online, or risk irrelevance.

As Sokhulu put it, “It’s unfortunate when a person who cares about craft but doesn’t have the propensity to outrightly advertise life is then seen as a lesser artist.”

Her words ask us to pause. If the industry continues to equate artistry with influence, we risk building a generation of actors who are rewarded not for embodying characters but for embodying trends.

And perhaps worse, we risk silencing the very people whose quiet dedication to craft has always been the backbone of great cinema.

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