‘Why I Quit Acting in 2019’ — Nollywood Actor Deyemi Okanlawon Reveals

• Nollywood actor Deyemi Okanlawon has revealed that he quit acting in 2019, saying “the pay and the work were nonsense,” before returning to a regular 9-to-5 job due to frustration with the industry.

Popular Nollywood actor Deyemi Okanlawon has revealed that he walked away from acting in 2019 after becoming frustrated with the quality of roles he was offered and the poor financial rewards in the industry.

Speaking on a recent episode of the CreativiTea Podcast, the actor said he had left his corporate career to pursue acting full-time, believing it would be both creatively satisfying and financially rewarding.

However, Okanlawon said the reality fell far short of his expectations, leaving him disillusioned with the projects he worked on and the remuneration he received.

“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,” he said.

The actor explained that the lack of fulfilment eventually pushed him to return to a regular office job.

“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 9-5 work,” he added.

Although he temporarily stepped away from the industry, Okanlawon has since returned to acting and remains one of Nollywood’s leading stars.