Currently, there have been controversies trailing the decision of Hollywood executive producers for casting Idris Elba as the Lead Role (Okonkwo) in the Adaptation of the Novel “Things Fall Apart” – a Nigerian Story and the original work of Late Chinua Achebe into a movie when there is Chiwetel Ejiofor who has an Igbo/Nigerian ancestry, “who could have delivered the role without having to understudy the character too long”, the critics say.
But one thing we often forget is, being an actor requires the abilities to put on diverse characters and bring out the believability of these roles.
This role could be one of the ways to challenge Idris’s versatility in his acting career. Hence, the willingness to take on the challenge.
Moreso, there is no guarantee that Chiwetel Ejiofor would deliver the role better than Idris Elba as he was never raised in Nigeria just like Idris. They were both born and raised in England.
Furthermore, Ejiofor seems overly British than his Nigerian roots. The only advantage he may have over idris could be having his igbo kinsmen who may help him research the role better thereby achieving smooth delivery of the role. Which is still under probability.
However, let’s remember filmmaking is a profit making venture. Hollywood producers know what they want.
They know Idris Elba could deliver. Having taken the lead in a movie such as Mandela -a South African biopic of Nelson Mandela. Ejiofor, on other hand had also taken a lead in a Malawian film ‘Boy who harassed the wind”, which earned him several award nominations.
Aside from that, another competitive edge Idris may equally have over Ejiofor is because of his other West African roots traceable to both Ghana and Sierra Leone.
That could help to catch the audience of the two countries, from the Producers perspective. While the storyline itself would certainly draw the attention of Nigerians and other global audiences, since the story itself is of Nigerian plot.
That makes a lot of sense in my own opinion.