In an exclusive interview with Entertainment Editor Gbenga Bada, veteran actress Bimbo Akintola shares her insights on her illustrious career, the importance of integrity, and more.
Getting the Role in “To Kill a Monkey”
“Your recent role in Kemi Adetiba’s ‘To Kill A Monkey’ is currently making waves. How did you get your role?”
“They sent me a script, I read it, then I got a call from Kemi Adetiba, and when I read it, I liked Inspector Mo. I empathise with her, and I said, if it’s this lady, I will do it, and if she’s not, I won’t. I liked the character, understood her from just reading it.”
Early Career and Breaking into the Industry
“Tell us about your first movie.”
“My first movie was ‘Owoblow’, but ‘Out of Bounds’ came out before ‘Owoblow’.”
Cutting Across Generations
“How have you been able to, unlike most actresses, cut across generations?
“First and foremost, I must be truthful; it’s been God, without God’s Grace, you can’t achieve anything. Also, professionalism, the fact that I’m a professional. I don’t play with my work; I hate the idea of mediocrity.”
Scrutinizing Roles and Protecting Integrity
“Do you scrutinise the kind of roles that you accept?”
“Apart from when I first started, and it was about putting my face out there and doing anything, there are some films that I do regret. But I learnt from them. Anything to do with women, the girl child, progress, anything to do with changing norms that are not working for us, I’m all for it.”
“Poorly written scripts, I can’t stand those. Obviously, if you’ve worked with them and you know they are not professionals, and you don’t want them to paint you in a bad image, even if the money is huge, I will say ‘no’.”
The Importance of Integrity
“There has to be integrity; it is key. Everything is not money, that’s how we were raised; they told us that money is not the end of life. Money is important; it’s key to a lot of things, but it doesn’t make you. You must also protect your integrity, your name forever.”
Education and Training
“Did you study theatre arts?”
“Yes, I fought for it, I studied theatre art deliberately, it was what I wanted to do, though my dad wanted me to study something else.”
Handling Unprofessionalism in the Industry
“How do you handle the unprofessionalism that currently exists in the film industry?”
“I’m focused on what I’m there to do, because there’s such a huge difference in the way I was trained, what we used to do, and what is obtainable now.”
Exceptional New Generation Actors
“Out of all the new generation actors you’ve worked with, which ones do you think are exceptional?”
“A lot of them, I have many children, Zara Ejoh, Iyabo Ojo, Toyin Abraham, Dayo Amusa, there’s a lot of them that are quite outstanding, there’s talent in this industry.”
The State of Nollywood
“A lot of people complain that Nollywood has a bad entry point, that anybody can be an actor. What is your take on this?”
“It’s the same thing worldwide, musicians cross over, celebrities crossover, TikTok sensations cross over, it’s just about money, it’s a money game.”
Producing and YouTube Plans
“Why have you not tried producing?”
“I have, I don’t just make noise about it, there’s one on television which was ‘Circle of 3,’ it was my production, and a few films on Africa Magic.”
“Are you planning to start a YouTube channel?”
“Very soon, but what I’m doing now is that I want to build my library, because I don’t like to be in one place, so I don’t want a situation where I start something and then it’s lagging.”
Pay Gap and Regrets
“What do you say about the pay gap that some producers create between actors and celebrities who star in movies but are not actors?”
“I don’t think they get paid more than the top actors. At the end of the day, it’s your negotiation, and you have your manager.”
“In all the years in Nollywood, are there things that you have regretted?”
“I don’t like to regret stuff; I like to believe that I learned, and I’ve learned from quite a few things.”
Her insights on the importance of integrity, the challenges of navigating the industry, and her experiences as a veteran actress make for a compelling read. As she continues to take on new roles and projects, Bimbo Akintola remains a powerful and respected voice in Nollywood.
