To Kill a Monkey Gave My Career a New Lease of Life – Stella Damasus

Image:X

Veteran Nigerian actress Stella Damasus has opened up about the unexpected opportunity that helped reignite her acting career, revealing that her role in Netflix’s To Kill a Monkey came at a time when she was not expecting to be part of the project.

Damasus said the series gave her career a fresh boost and changed the way both viewers and people within the entertainment industry perceived her. 

She made the revelation while appearing on Pulse Nigeria’s Old Vs New, where she reflected on different stages of her acting journey.

According to the actress, she was not initially considered for the role of Nosa. The character had reportedly been created with a younger actress in mind, and the casting process was already close to completion when she received an opportunity to audition.

Her former management representative encouraged her to submit a self-tape despite having less than a day before the deadline. 

At the time, Damasus was in the United States, meaning she had to complete the audition remotely. Another actor in Nigeria assisted by reading the opposite lines during the recording.

After submitting the audition, Damasus did not immediately receive any feedback. She eventually assumed that the role had gone to another actress. 

However, the production team later made an unusual decision. Instead of replacing her with a younger performer, the character was rewritten to accommodate Damasus.

The actress said the outcome had a significant effect on her career. She continues to receive recognition from viewers who remember lines delivered by her character, with the response extending beyond Nigeria to countries such as the United States, Canada and Ireland.

Damasus also described working on the production as a demanding experience that challenged her to reconnect with different aspects of her craft. 

Despite her extensive experience in the industry, she said the project required her to push herself creatively.

She acknowledged the contribution of her fellow cast members, including Lilian Afegbai, William Benson, Bucci Franklin and Sunshine Rosman, saying their performances contributed to the standard of the production.

To Kill a Monkey, created by Kemi Adetiba, premiered on Netflix in July 2025. The story centres on a man who becomes involved in cybercrime after reconnecting with a childhood friend, while Damasus portrays his wife, Nosa. 

The series followed Adetiba’s earlier work on King of Boys and became another notable project in her filmography.

For Damasus, the project represents more than another acting credit, as it provided an opportunity to reach a new audience while demonstrating that unexpected opportunities can lead to important career moments.

#NollywoodTimes 

#Nollywood