OMOTOLAJALADE EKEINDE

You need only a few moments in Omotola Jalade Ekeinde’s presence to discover she’s a woman set on defining herself—try to contain her in a box, and she’ll lift off the lid, rise up, and just soar away every single time. A superwoman of sorts, she carries

How and why did you decide to pursue acting as a career?

It was not intentional. I started out as a model, as a holiday job to help my widowed mum at the time. A friend of mine was going for a movie audition and I escorted her. She didn’t get the part and she encouraged me to try. The rest, as they say, is history.

At what point did you first look in the mirror and think, “Christ, I’m famous”?

To be honest, I have been famous for a long time even as a local champion on different levels as a kid and in secondary school. For some reason I just never went unnoticed for good or bad, so movies was just another one of those. Also, back in the day, you had to be known first in the industry as a private star before you’d become famous to fans. It was a more organic system. There were no quick fixes or Internet.

Which of your works has meant the most to you, either for its personal significance or the impact on your career?

Oh different movies at different stages of my life and career.

*Mortal inheritance: - the movie I won the two major awards at the young age of 18.

* Abused: - A very emotionally draining and deep character. *Kosorogun (No rival) - My first Yoruba movie. *My Story: - Acted as both a young lady and an old woman and it was indeed very tasking. * Ije:- My first cinematic movie. * Hit the Floor:-My first US main stream outing.

After so many years in the industry, how do you approach each new role? Is it still possible to become and stay excited about new projects?

Yes it is, if you are careful about the way you choose your roles and scripts. This is exactly what I try to do.

It’s not easy, as there’s always a lot of pressure to do more and frequently... but you have to decide what’s important to you and stay focused.

What role have you been most honoured to play?

Playing Myself “Omotola” in Universal’s VH1 series “Hit the Floor”. Season 1.

How would you define the power of acting and what is the message you aim to impart through yours?

Acting could be purely commercial and entertaining, however it also gives you the power to inform and influence.

What, in your opinion, is the biggest barrier a thespian like yourself has to face and overcome, to gain any commercial success?

I guess staying focused and choosy but also relevant.

What are some common myths about your profession?

That entertainers are not educated or intelligent enough to speak on every subject and that all they care about is fun. That is changing quickly now thankfully. What is your honest view on the Nollywood scene today and how do you think it can improve? It’s growing again. However we need relevant strong guilds and better structure.

The entertainment industry seems to be hard on marriages these days. Why do you think that is?

Not sure what hard on marriage means but if you mean it’s not encouraging for entertainers, then I disagree. I believe it boils down to priorities, realism and lifestyle.

How have you been able to sustain yours?

In summary, it’s truly literally first by His grace. I don’t mean that as a prayer or saying. I mean that practically. My husband and I gave our lives to Christ individually before we met. That has been our strong foundation.

The blocks have been all I listed earlier, priorities, realism and lifestyle. You can also add mutual respect to that.

Can you tell us about an average day in your life?

When I am not working, I hardly go out. I go to the office only when I have meetings. I also have an office at home. I really don’t like going out.

What’s that one mistake you made in your career that you learned the most from?

None that I have noticed.

You just turned 40? How does it feel and what does this milestone mean to you?

It feels same. It is another opportunity for me to re-evaluate and reinvent. That’s why it’s Omotola4point0. My kids are teenagers in the university now, and it’s time for me to refocus on me.

Any reflections you’d like to share?

Not really, I’d just love to be more active musically.

What has been your personal key to success?

Do the best I can today. Tomorrow will take care of itself. Stay true to my core values and stay consistent. Everything will be fine.

If you weren’t an incredibly successful actress, in another life, what would you have wanted to be?

I am already a lot of things that I want to be. I’m a singer with two albums. I’m a UNWFP (United Nations World Food Programme) Ambassador I’m an Amnesty International Campaigner I’m the founder of Omotola youth empowerment programme and Give and Let Give.

I’m an Ambassador of the ONE campaign and UNSDGs (United nation sustainable development goals)

I’m the Chief Executive Officer of Red Hot concepts, a real estate and entertainment outfit.

I am living my dreams.

Tell us something about any projects and ideas you have in store or are already working on?

I’m working on owning a film village. It’s going to be the biggest of it’s kind in Africa. It would be situated in Badagry. I also have a live, work, play mixed development project in Ikeja.

Where do you see the Omotola brand in the next five years?

With an Oscar and changing African politics for good. By God’s grace

Also, back in the day, you had to be known first in the industry as a private star before you’d become famous to fans. It was a more organic system. There were no quick fixes or Internet.