Lack of Instagram followers frustrated my acting career – Deyemi Okanlawon
Nollywood actor,Deyemi Okanlawon has revealed that his lack of massive Instagram followers stunted his growth early in his acting career.
The actor lamented that his acting prowess, he was ignored and rejected by producers due to his limited social media presence.
In a recent interview, Okanlawon recalled feeling frustrated and undervalued, but instead of giving up, he chose to focus on building 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 persistence paid off when he received opportunities to work with industry heavyweights like Funke Akindele, Kunle Afolayan, Kemi Adetiba and Mo Abudu.
“Just when I thought everything was over, I got a call from Funke Akindele, next was Kunle Afoloyan, Kemi Adetiba then Mo Abudu [and] Niyi Akimoloyan. At the end of 2020, Omo Ghetto the Saga hit the cinemas and became the highest-grossing movie and I was the lead actor. I also became the highest-grossing actor at the time too,” he said.
His breakthrough role in the hit movie “Omo Ghetto: The Saga” cemented his status as a leading actor in Nollywood.
