Popular Nollywood actor Deyemi Okanlawon has revealed that he temporarily stepped away from acting in 2019 after becoming disillusioned with the quality of roles he was offered and the financial rewards that came with them.
Speaking during a recent episode of the CreativiTea Podcast, Okanlawon reflected on a difficult period in his career, saying the profession no longer provided the creative satisfaction or financial stability he had hoped for.
The actor explained that he had left his corporate job to pursue acting full-time, believing it would be both creatively fulfilling and financially rewarding. However, he said the reality fell far short of his expectations.
According to him, the combination of poor remuneration and uninspiring projects eventually pushed him to leave the industry and return to a conventional office job.
“So, I quit acting in 2019. I quit because the pay and the work were nonsense. And I just felt like I didn’t leave 9-to-5 work to come and do mediocre work.
“It was difficult to wake up in the morning and go to work. What is the point of being passionate about something and then not being fulfilled by it? So I quit and then went back to 9-to-5 work,” he said.
Okanlawon’s revelation offers a candid glimpse into the realities many creative professionals face, highlighting the challenges of balancing passion with financial sustainability in the entertainment industry.
Comments