#BNMeetTheStar: Omowunmi Dada Is Telling the Stories She Was Born to Tell

In this edition of “Meet the Neatly-known person,” a section devoted to spotlighting talents in Nollywood, our highlight is on Omowunmi Dada as she reflects on her Nollywood chase, evolving roles, and her most modern movie, “Red Circle.”  

In our old characteristic, we caught up, Efe Irele, who talked to us about her profession chase, her Nollywood chase and most importantly and interestingly, her most modern mission, “My Mother Is A Witch.”  

Whereas you happen to uncared for it, it is possible you’ll perhaps possibly possibly also learn it right here.

Whereas you happen to’ve been searching at Nigerian cinema no longer too prolonged ago, probability is you’ve viewed Omowunmi Dada. She’s been showing up in the complete areas that matter: a storm of roles all the way by “Red Circle,” “Discovering Me,” “Raji and the Beast,” “Shaping Us” and further. The tempo is swiftly, nonetheless she’s precise, weaving by every mission with a model of clarity that isn’t continuously straightforward to preserve on to in another that always pulls in a hundred directions.

Dada is warm, grounded, and extremely aware of what she brings to the display veil veil. She doesn’t impartial appropriate resolve roles on anecdote of they’re flashy. She appears to be like to be like for the stretch, for the discomfort, for the factor that will design her work in fact feel alive. And when she speaks about playing Venita in “Red Circle,”  a singer with a flowery internal lifestyles, she does so with the model of peaceable pride that comes from radiant she gave something of herself to the persona.

In our conversation, she opens up about the work that excites her most, the importance of cultural representation, and what she’s seeing shift in Nollywood when it involves how females are portrayed. We discuss ambition, heritage, being viewed in another tranquil figuring itself out, and why doubtlessly the most extremely efficient factor she can manufacture appropriate now could possibly possibly possibly be terminate human.

And as soon as you happen to’ve ever wondered what she’s admire when the cameras terminate rolling, she shares that too: church, prolonged lunches with pals, dancing salsa (she’s planning to get abet into it), and impartial appropriate being tranquil when she needs to.

Hi there Omowunmi, appropriate to possess you ever right here. How are you doing this day?

Hi there Bellanaija! Thanks so vital for having me. I’m in fact appropriate. Doing huge, in fact. I’m grateful and in fact enraged to be section of this conversation!

We completely loved searching at you on Red Circle. Inform us, what modified into that trip admire for you?

Red Circle modified into in fact the sort of fine chase for me. Working with the solid and crew felt admire being section of something in fact special. Everyone poured so vital coronary heart into it. It’s possible you’ll perhaps possibly impartial appropriate in fact feel the passion on field every day.

Taking half in Venita modified into wild in the supreme manner. I’d by no manner played a persona admire her old to — a singer, plump of drama, plump of fireplace —Oshodi Beyoncé!  She in fact pushed me out of my comfort zone, and I loved every little bit of it.

And let me impartial appropriate tell, the crew had been amazing. So detailed, so intentional. They didn’t miss a beat. The vitality on field modified into continuously so alive, it made the frosty name instances totally rate it. I in fact seemed forward to every shoot day. It’s one in all these initiatives that reminds you why you fell in cherish with storytelling in the principle field. I’d resolve it again in a heartbeat.

Your work rate is something! You’ve been in abet-to-abet initiatives no longer too prolonged ago — Red Circle, Unclaimed, Discovering Me, Raji and the Beast, Ori, Shaping Us — and we know there’s extra. How are you navigating the sort of busy duration for your profession?

Haha, I know it appears to be like to be like admire I’m in each place proper now. A quantity of these initiatives had been in fact shot closing one year, they impartial appropriate happen to be dropping spherical the identical time. But in fact, it’s been the sort of rewarding season.

It’s a limited bit overwhelming every so repeatedly, nonetheless I’m grateful. I’ve learned to tempo myself, rob breaks after I will, and impartial appropriate trip the skedaddle. It’s a appropriate model of busy.

You’ve played a huge series of characters all the way by movie, TV, and stage. What repeatedly attracts you to a characteristic?

What attracts me to a characteristic? Honestly, I live for the drawl. The farther a persona is from who I am in right lifestyles, the extra curved I get. I love diving into roles that design me sorrowful in the supreme manner. Roles that pressure me to dig deep and switch into. As prolonged as it aligns with my values and makes me stretch as an actor, I’m all in. That thrill of becoming someone fully different? That’s magic for me.

Your work repeatedly carries cultural weight, from Yoruba traditions to contemporary Nigerian experiences. How main is it so that you can expose experiences that duplicate your roots?

I’m proudly a Nigerian Yoruba lady, with my complete soul and all my joy. Our culture and heritage are so rich and fine. Dangle that away from us and something feels incomplete.

The area is unfamiliar about who we’re, and our movies are the sort of extremely efficient manner to imprint that. To showcase our beauty, our energy, our specialty. It’s so main that we’re the ones telling our possess experiences, shaping our possess narratives, and letting the area look us by our possess lens.

What shifts are you seeing or hoping to stream searching in Nollywood, especially in how females are portrayed?

I’m in fact satisfied with the shifts I’m seeing in Nollywood, especially when it involves how females are portrayed. We’re beginning to stream searching extra layered, advanced female characters who possess depth, vitality, and presence beyond impartial appropriate being cherish pursuits or sidekicks. That matters.

Extra females are also ruling in the abet of the camera — writing, directing, producing — and it is possible you’ll perhaps possibly even in fact feel the difference in the forms of news being instructed. There’s extra honesty, extra nuance, and further coronary heart.

But we’re no longer there yet. I’d cherish to stream searching even extra females in management and technical roles

In another that always demands so vital visibility and perfection, how manufacture you terminate grounded? 

From after I modified into in fact young, my dad instructed me something that caught — “By no manner fail to recollect who it is possible you’ll perhaps possibly possibly also very properly be.” And in fact, that’s been my grounding level ever since. Even old to I ever conception of appearing, that advice fashioned how I look myself. So regardless of where I recede or how visible issues get, I continuously remind myself: I’m Omowunmi Dada, the human.

I also preserve my private lifestyles private, provide protection to my peace, appreciate myself and other folks spherical me, rob breaks after I possess to, and continuously do no longer fail to recollect that I’m first human old to I’m anything else else.

Many know Omowunmi Dada the actress, nonetheless who would you tell she is when the cameras are off?

When the cameras are off, I’m in fact impartial appropriate the smiling lady subsequent door. If I’m no longer at dwelling resting or striking out with my pals over lunch or dinner, you’ll likely receive me in church. That’s my rhythm. Straightforward joys, right other folks, and peaceable areas.

Silly ample, loads of other folks mediate I’m an extrovert on anecdote of of my work, nonetheless I’m in fact fairly the introvert. I extinct to admire dancing salsa loads, and I will’t wait to get abet to that. Off camera, I’m impartial appropriate me. Chilled, prankish, and deeply grounded.

Whereas you happen to could possibly possibly huge title in a movie with any African actor or actress, who would it no longer be?

Charlize Theron, pleaseeeeeeeeee!

What’s a book, song, or quote that’s been speaking to you no longer too prolonged ago?

I’m loving all of The Cavemen’s songs appropriate now.

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Represent Credit ranking: Omowunmi Dada