8am on Sunday, I left my house in Ikeja to the set of a mv at Lekki. Some minutes after noon, the artiste arrived on set and said he changed his mind. He wants a light skinned model because my skin tone 'doesn't fit the aesthetic’ 🧵
This is such a heartbreaking and false narrative. As a video director, I carefully selected models for this shoot (through an agency) based on their online portfolio and pictures but the reality was starkly different. The model didn't match the vision or the storyboard.
If you are in Unilag, there’s a great chance you’ve seen and spoken to a water being or spirit being.
Remember unilag is locked between a cemetery and water body.
Also if you stay around Yaba, Bariga, and Shomolu too.
Models are not accessories. We are not shoes or bags that you can change and replace as you see fit. We are people and we deserve to be treated as such.
I can't begin to describe how insulted I felt. The fact that this didn't happen in Europe or Asia makes it all the more hurtful. It's always baffling to see how outrageously colorist our society and the industry is.
I'm a dark skinned woman and if I don't fit the aesthetic or meet up to your beauty standards, don't book me. It's that simple. There are thousands of lightskinned women to choose from.
At this time, I was done with makeup and half way through my hair, so l was thinking it must probably be a joke. Am I supposed to whip out bleaching cream and turn myself into the skin tone that fits the aesthetic?
The members of the crew tell me that it’s the artiste’s video and there’s nothing they can do about it. This is very funny to me because the artiste himself casted me for the role a week ago. And it wasn’t until an hour to filming that he decided he wanted a lightskinned girl.
@zadabarbi
I'm so sorry you had to experience this. One of the things we're taught when learning mandarin is the slurs they call poc and how to respond to them. It’s terrible!
Throughout everything the director and the artist refused to address me personally and instead resorted to sending members of the crew to me. They told me to go home, it happens all the time, lightskinned women are preferable for mvs.
They said I will be given a compensation fee which isn't even half the pay for the job but I should be grateful because they could have just told me bye bye.
I reported a boy at school for harassing and threatening to kill me for a whole semester bc I rejected him and they started dragging me on the gc for reporting him bc ‘I’m a wicked girl that wants to ruin his life’💀
I still can’t believe Tory Lanez SHOT Megan Thee Stallion and some people are more upset that he was found guilty and sentenced and NOT THAT HE SHOT HER!!!
They kept telling me how the situation could have been much worse. 'What if I had started filming before the artiste changed his mind?' I should be grateful they decided to give me some money because they originally just wanted to pay for my transport alone.
I can't believe that you would go to such great lengths to paint a narrative that I’m a bitter ugly model who can't handle rejection. Even paying people to shit on my image and career when I have done absolutely nothing wrong!
I came online to narrate the terrible experience I had on your set which is a 100% the truth! I did this without calling out anybody or tarnishing anyone’s image.
@provii8
These are obviously screenshots from a video lol. You took your time to take screenshots of me at terrible angles and then proceeded to post them here in a bid to paint me in a bad light. I hope whatever you were paid is worth it because this is shameless and low of you.
My exams start today. I have the spirit of excellence within me and so I will do extremely well in all of my exams. I rejoice because it’s already done. I have already passed in Jesus name. Thank you God❤️
It is a dream come true to announce that I am the new African Digital Ambassador for
#LOr
éalParis ❤️ I’m truly honoured to be the first Nigerian representing L’Oréal not only across Africa but also on a global stage.
Charging up for all the many moments and milestones I’ll be