Deyemi Okanlawon has spoken candidly about the challenges he encountered early in his acting career.
Despite his talent, he claims he has been constantly rejected by producers due to his limited social media presence.
In a recent interview on the Echoo Room Podcast, Okanlawon admitted to feeling disappointed and unappreciated, but instead of giving up, he chose to focus on establishing his brand.”
Not having Instagram followers hindered me. I’d tell myself, ‘I’m the guy who comes to kill himself on set. Why am I being judged by the number of followers I have?” he said.
“I said to myself, there’s no point fighting it.’ There’s always going to be a new set of people who focus more on the brand than they are on the craft. So I said, ‘Let me start some brand-building.”
His perseverance paid off when he was offered opportunities to work with industry heavyweights such as Funke Akindele, Kunle Afolayan, Kemi Adetiba, and Mo Abudu.
Okanlawon also expressed love for other performers Richard Mofe Damijo, Olu Jacobs, and himself, mentioning them as inspirations.
When asked about his aspirations, Okanlawon stated that his ultimate goal was greatness rather than just acting success.
He urged prospective performers to think big and pursue their aspirations without reservation, saying, “Acting was never the dream. Greatness was the dream. Anytime anybody comes to me to tell me they want to act, the first thing I ask is ‘What else do you know? If you are a martial artist, for instance, and you come into the acting industry, you’re different. Learn to not box yourself into one thing. Bring something else. Learn something. Don’t be a small dreamer. Go for it all. Never let your current situation limit the size of your dreams,” he said.
