Actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele has called on her fans in the United Kingdom to avoid sharing clips of her latest film, Behind The Scenes, online.

The movie premiered on December 4 at Odeon Cinemas in Greenwich, UK, and generated considerable excitement. However, Akindele expressed concern that unauthorized sharing of footage could negatively affect ticket sales ahead of the film’s Nigerian release on December 12.

In a video message, the actress appealed directly to her audience:
“UK fans that have watched Behind the Scenes, please stop posting online. You’re not helping or promoting. Please don’t record. We spent over a billion on that project; don’t let me run into debt. Please stop posting the recordings. It is piracy.”

Fans have largely supported Akindele’s appeal, encouraging others to respect the work of the filmmakers and wait for the official release.