By Damilola Fatunmise
Damilola Oni is a talented, bold, curvaceous actress, blessed with an eloquent way of speaking.
Since she ventured into the movie industry in 2017, the only daughter in a family of six has continued to soar in the fiercely competitive film world.
In this interview, Damilola narrates her journey into the movie industry, challenges, and expectations from Mr. Right and how she’s building herself to become a great actor across the globe.
Enjoy!
How did your journey into the movie industry begin?
Officially, I joined Nollywood in 2018. Before then, I had done several things on stage. I used to be in the drama group in church and my love for acting started from childhood. I performed excellently well in every role given to me. It grew when I got to secondary school. I was in the cultural society group and I was multi-talented, so I would do various cultural stuff and it attracted people to me. They wanted me to be at the forefront of the performance. I was quite popular in secondary school for the cultural club. It strengthened my interest in entertainment. When I was going to write JAMB and pick a school, my father said that he wanted me to be a lawyer and stay in the corporate world since I was very intelligent. I like to talk but law is not something I want to do. In his defence, he said even the most popular actors didn’t study theatre arts. I opted for linguistics at the University of Ibadan and I still joined theatre because it was my first love.
People couldn’t tell whether I was a theatre art student when I was in UI or a linguistic student. I performed and did a lot of stage plays in the theatre. After I graduated I went to Enugu to serve. And I was the drama coordinator in Nsukka. That helped me. I was always bringing innovative ideas. After that, I left and came back to Lagos. I worked in a communication company for four months and left. There was an audition online that a television company needed someone and the number of people who wanted me to try it was amazing. My friend Falilat Temitope knew I could be laid back when it comes to auditions. She literally took the phone, sat me down and made the audition video for me, and made sure that I posted it. It got a lot of engagement, with people supporting me and saying I’m the one for the job. That was way back in 2017. I got invited for a further audition. We were like 100 and I became part of the first three and I was the chosen one. I started working as a presenter on the breakfast show on African magic. When I acted as Dumebi, that’s when I started meeting stars and people from different spheres of life. In 2017, my eyes opened to a lot of things and with that company, I recorded 29 episodes. I told them that I know that they also make films. I convinced them that I am a fantastic actor. They tested me with a role and I made sure that I outdid myself and they kept giving me more, that’s how I started to act.
Did you give up your presenting career for acting?
I can say that I started officially on screen in 2017. The production didn’t come out till 2018. I didn’t give up my career as a broadcaster for acting. In fact, the path of broadcasting led me to my love which is acting. I did over 200 episodes of Ajumobi. If they call me today and tell me to come back I would be very happy. It’s a part of me that I love so much. I love the fact that it’s different so it didn’t disturb each other because it was a recorded programme. Acting is different, and presenting is different for me. I didn’t give up presenting for acting. I’m even working on something on my own as a presenter. It will be coming soon.
Who is Damilola Oni off the screen?
Damilola is just a simple girl who loves to have fun, be around good people, and see movies that other people have done so that she can learn. I love fashion and I like to look good. She’s just a simple girl off-screen, with zero stress. I love to sleep when I’m off-screen. I love to rest a lot. I feel like I might have something in the fashion line as things go on. People have to look good.
Tell us about your growing up, your place in your family and your parents’ reactions to your career at the initial stage.
I was born in Lagos; Coker, Orile- Iganmu. I went to Surulere Junior Secondary School where I graduated in JSS 3 as one of the best students and was awarded by the Lagos State Government. I was also recommended to the US as one of the best students. From there, I went to Federal Government Girls College as a boarding student. I moved to the University of Ibadan where I studied linguistics and I served in Enugu State. I worked in Lagos for a few months before I came back to Ibadan to start my presenting job and then I furthered my education to study indigenous knowledge and development under sustainable development, Masters of Science from the University of Ibadan. I got largely and wholly into filmmaking. I’m the first child of my family and the only daughter. I have three siblings that are boys. My mom has always been very supportive of me anytime and everything I do. She was just concerned about the image that actors and actresses portray and how people see them in society. My father on the other hand would not even have me doing film at all. After a year or two he came around. People were always telling him that they loved my breakfast show and they appreciated it. He was getting a lot of attention and he started enjoying it. He eventually forgot about the fact that he didn’t want me to do theatre. I try to stay off anything that would dent or destroy my name because they are worried at home.
How confident are you in your skin seeing that you are of big bold and curved shape?
I think maybe because I was raised with so much love. I grew up in a functional family where everybody just accepts you the way you are. When it comes to negative things they try to correct you and help you but when it comes to body and being comfortable in your skin my parents did a great job because they were always complimenting me. The love in the family was way too much. I’m very confident in my skin. Before now, when I used public transport people would look at me and admire my skin. Naturally, I love attention; I love it when all eyes are on me and I don’t care about what you say. That is your opinion of me.
Any regret ever?
I don’t regret anything in life. When things happen and I feel hurt or disappointed, I just take it as one of those lessons to move to the next phase of my career or my life. I really don’t regret anything. It’s as serious as intentionally forgetting to hurt. I am just winging life and hoping to get to where I want to get to eventually.
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Can you state your worst moment as an actor?
The worst moment as an actor has to be a time when I was supposed to be on a production, I had packed and I was so excited because it was the first time that a producer was calling me to come and play a lead role. I got there and on the first day, everyone was working but I was not. I was just in my room. The producer came to me and made me understand that the person I was supposed to work with said they should pick between me and him because he was not going to act with me. They had to choose that person because he was the bigger star. I was hurt because that person took away something from me that day. It made me realize that I had to work really hard to get to the top so that such things don’t happen to me again. No hard feelings now that I’m talking about it but then I was so hurt. I was disappointed. The producer begged me but they couldn’t choose me over the actor. I had to just take a role that I just did five scenes. I took it instead of the lead role. It was just painful that it happened to me but all is well and good.
What are your greatest moments so far?
My best moment was when a movie that I was featured in was showing on Netflix. They brought me a Netflix box filled with goodies with my name imprinted on it to congratulate me on the film and how wonderful my performance was. It was uplifting for me. It was an emotional moment because I craved it and hoped that a point in my career would come when international platforms would recognize me as an actor. It was really a touching time for me and it gave me the strength I needed to carry on. If I don’t give up I can touch the sky. The compliments and feedback I got were amazing. People from the Diaspora were giving me feedback and it was a great moment for me.
What is the most embarrassing moment you have ever been through with a fan?
My fans are very composed, beautiful people. The best they can do is hug me and tell me sweet things. They can be funny about my chest and I’ve learnt to accommodate the comments I get when it comes to my body from my fans. There hasn’t been anything serious. I get emotional sometimes and they love me.
Which part of your body is the most attractive?
My chest, my boobs and then people are attracted to my teeth.
What kind of man is your full spec?
I love my men dark, chocolate, who are full of wisdom, who can communicate well, and smell nice. It’s very important because I’m attracted to scents; a man who loves and fears God, who can drive conversation and is purposeful; a man that wants to be something in life and we can put our heads together and be something; a man who can support me to be great; an educated man; taller than I am, older than I am. I don’t like younger boys. No mouth or body odour or looking tacky.
Not someone who lacks confidence; you have to maintain ‘Steeze’ and composure all the time. I don’t like men that talk too much. I need a balance. I love men that know how to put their outfits together and look good. It doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive. I love clean men. I love intelligent men who can hold a conversation and keep it going. I love men that have things going for them, not men that are just men. I love men who are actually into me. I love attention, so I love my man being attracted to me.
Can you marry a man who has a wife already, like you being a second wife?
I don’t see anything wrong as a person in being a second wife but I would prefer to be the first. I don’t see anything wrong with other women being second wives or third or fourth but I would honestly prefer to be my husband’s one and only wife. I’m a culturally inclined person so I believe that people should have the liberty to choose whatever they want, especially when it comes to man and woman things. I don’t have any issues with the second or third wife. I don’t think I can be a second wife. I just want to be my husband’s one and only wife.
Can you tell us how many movies you have featured in and which is the one that brought you into the limelight?
I cannot count the number of movies I’ve featured in. The one that brought me to the limelight is Borokini, the series. It was on for a while and people got really acquainted with me and they loved me for the role. Last Straw, Liberty, The Original and there are others that people really loved. Ololade on Netflix also did a number for me. Ajosepo, too.
You premiered your movie Ite, recently in London, what’s the feedback like and which other projects are you working on at the moment?
Yes, I premiered my movie in London and the feedback was great. People enjoyed it. Especially the acting, the costume, and the pictures. With the undiluted language spoken. And I’m coming with Anijarey also Omo Mummy. My fans should look forward to them.
Your words for your fans and those that look up to you?
I just want to say a big thank you to my fans all over the world, they are the best. Without them I am nothing. They just love me and I don’t even know why they love me, but the love is massive. I would like to tell them that I would not disappoint them. I’ll keep giving them good content and doing what I know how to do best Ashese berre ni . We are just getting started. To all the people that look up to me, I do tell them all the time that I am not perfect. I would prefer you look up to God because I don’t want to be a mentor to anyone honestly. I am not saying my life does not portray good or positive things, it’s that the things that I am into are not perfect. I don’t want people to use my life as a yardstick to create something with their lives. Everyone should work out their salvation with fear and trembling according to the Bible.
Rome was not built in a day, you will get better. I started in 2017 and this is 2024 and I’m still building. Your miracle can happen unexpectedly, so keep at it and do what you love doing; do whatever you do, like your life depends on it because it actually does. I love all my fans all over the world.