By Damilola Fatunmise
Sharon Ooja is a talented actress who has made a name for herself in the entertainment industry through her exceptional acting skills. She first gained prominence for her portrayal of ‘Shalewa’ in the popular web series Skinny Girl in Transit. Since then, she has appeared in numerous successful movies.
In an interview with The Entertainer, Sharon discussed the role she likes to play, how working on the film, Oloture pushed her to her limits, and how she balances her spirituality with her acting career.
What role do you think women have played in lifting other women?
I grew up in a family of girls; four girls. That alone is a foundation to show you what women can do with each other. I strongly believe that women build a nation. Aunty Mo Abudu was one of the people who helped me in the industry. I was new and she gave me a chance when nobody knew me. Not only did she give me a chance, she pushed me like I was her child to the front. That’s something you don’t find often.
It just goes to show what God can do for His own. He takes you to a place and makes people to be at peace with you. I’m forever grateful to her. I don’t know how not to give credit to whom credit is due. She has paved the way for me and so many others. I strongly believe that if we as women genuinely support each other, this world will grow faster.
How do you combine the spiritual side of your life with the work you do as a professional?
I feel that irrespective of where you find yourself, you should try as much as possible to be yourself. I grew up from a background where I won’t say my parents were strict but they brought us up in Christ. I told myself that irrespective of where I find myself, I will remain myself. When I first started acting, one of the things I told God was that I wanted him to be my anchor, and I wanted him to be my guide. I told God that if He does have my back and propels me, I will talk about him.
I feel like I can’t afford not to talk about God because I have to keep to my promise. I will remain unapologetic and this is the beginning. For me, my spirituality has not in any way affected my career path.
You have shown brilliant acting skills in several movies; don’t you think it is time to produce your first movie?
Of course, I’m already thinking about it. As you are growing, you are learning, and gaining experience. It’s hard but you are learning on the job. There is no better way to learn than to get experience. School is just theory. This is the practical aspect of it. I’m planning to make my own movie. It’s by God’s grace for sure.
You acted alongside Sabinus in the movie, ‘Dead Serious’, how easy was it for you to pull through?
If you look at the hidden story in the background of that movie, that movie touches a lot on mental health, and depression. As funny as Sabinus is, he was there several times on set. We had to cut because he is a very funny character to work with but I was very much interested in the story because it’s the story where someone who is not up to standard loves someone who is bigger than him and that is because of the society that we are in. It’s the pressure that men are put under to either be rich to be able to find love. That story was very dear to me because I feel that we are in an era where we genuinely need to give love. However it comes to us, let’s not let social media becloud our judgment and real life.
Do you still have dream roles you look forward to playing?
Yes, I sure have a lot of dream roles. I recently completed a production with Kunle Afolayan and I played a mother. It’s my first time playing a mother and it’s crazy. I’ve been in the industry but this is the first time I’m playing a mother and I loved it. I look forward to playing a musician where I have to sing and dance. I look forward to playing a pastor, a tomboy. I’m flexible so there are many roles I hope will come in Jesus’ name.
If you were not in the creative space, what other profession would you have explored?
Most likely a teacher. I love children, knowledge, and reading. When I was growing up, I used to say I would be a teacher; I would stay with children and coach them. I used to do Sunday school after mass. In the University, I did some sort of babysitting, so I always knew that I would love to be around children and teach them.
Your character as a journalist in Oloture was awesome, was it fun to be a media personality on the job?
Honestly, it’s not easy. That’s why, if you notice, as tired as I am, I came to sit down with you because I understand the importance of having a good story and being able to get a good interview for your medium. Being in that shoe was a very hectic one. She put her life on the line. If you are very passionate about telling a story you will push yourself to the extreme which is what she did to the point where she put her life on the line. That story is one of the stories that changed my career and changed how people see me. It’s one of the dearest movies ever to me.
Talking about supportive women in the industry, how do you rate Funke Akindele?
I can go on and on to describe the personality of Aunty Funke Akindele because she is amazing, supportive and always willing to assist others. She needs to be studied in the industry because every time she does a production, it’s a box office hit. She gave me an opportunity at the very early stage of my career. I was in Jenifa’s Dairy where I played Falz’s girlfriend for a very short while. She also featured me in other movies. She’s one of those people who always gives others a chance. She’s the same as Aunty Mo, always giving people a chance. I genuinely love her.
What do you have in stock for 2024?
A lot of projects that I featured in will be coming this year. Oloture is already streaming on Netflix. The production I did with Kunle Afolayan is currently in post-production stage and I am currently going on set with Funke Akindele for another big project.
As a creative, what is your opinion about the collaboration between the industry and streaming platforms like Netflix?
It’s good. This is the time when our African stories need to be heard, we need to add more colours to the screen. Our skin is beautiful, we are black, and our accent is everything. Original Nigerian accent and I’m so happy that we have a platform that is showing our stories, which has brought us to where we are, and made us who we are. Talk about our ancestors, our back story. These are the things that make us who we are. So Netflix and Nollywood cooperation is the best thing that has happened to us because it has even put us on the map.
What does style mean to you?
For me, style is an expression of my inner self. Today I woke up, I wanted to wear a flare skirt but the skirt was not flaring. So I went to my closet and picked this. Style is just an expression of how you are feeling at the time. I roll with how I’m feeling and I decided to just be free so I wore this big blazer and I felt cute.