Nollywood star Deyemi Okanlawon has opened up about why he temporarily abandoned acting in 2019, revealing that disappointment with the industry’s pay and the quality of roles pushed him back into corporate employment
Deyemi revealed this during an appearance on the CreativiTea podcast, the actor said he reached a point where he no longer enjoyed going to work because the projects available to him were neither creatively satisfying nor financially rewarding.
He explained that leaving his previous office job for an acting career only to end up with work he considered below his expectations made him question his decision.
“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 – 5 work to come and do mediocre work.
“It was difficult to wake up in the morning and go to work, and what is the point of being passionate about something and then not being fulfilled by it. So I quit and then went back to 9-5 work,” he said.
After stepping away from the movie industry, Okanlawon returned to the corporate sector, where he worked in marketing with Silverbird Film Distribution. He has previously disclosed that his wife, Damilola, fully supported his decision, allowing him the time to rethink his career path.
The actor eventually returned to Nollywood in 2020 and has since featured in several successful productions, including Omo Ghetto: The Saga, Blood Sisters, The Black Book, All’s Fair in Love and Red Circle.
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