Actor Deyemi Okanlawon has spoken about the mental and spiritual demands of acting, his growing responsibilities, and how he deliberately turned a passion into a sustainable career.
The 44-year-old shared his views in an interview with Sunday Sun, where he described acting as a deeply immersive process that goes beyond technical skill.
Responding to a question from the interviewer, “You once said acting is brain tasking, and others say it is spiritual. How true is this?”, Deyemi said, “Yes, I believe acting is spiritual. You channel and breathe life into characters, almost like allowing different spirits to inhabit your body for a while. But you must consciously let them go when the job is done.”
He also addressed the idea that success automatically brings comfort. When asked if life had become easier since his early days in the industry, the actor said, “I may have more zeros in my account now, but my responsibilities have grown too. The challenges of today match the stage of life I am in. Nothing has really softened; it only requires that I become stronger.”
Deyemi further reflected on passion and financial reward, especially in a society where entrepreneurship is often seen as an escape from hardship. Asked how he separates passion from a potentially profitable venture, he said, “I worked 9–5 jobs and earned pretty well, but I incubated my acting career. I am intentional about using the word ‘incubated.’ I loved acting. I discovered I was good at it. I put in more effort and got better at it.”
Tracing his journey, he said his love for acting began in church drama. “I loved acting in church drama. I think that is where I may retire,” he said. He recalled the first time he was paid to act, adding that the experience felt natural and effortless.
Deyemi explained that he initially saved and invested part of his income before taking a calculated risk. He said he eventually pulled out his investments, took a one year break from other pursuits, and committed fully to acting, a decision he said led to noticeable growth.
“Now I am in my 12th year in acting, going into my 13th,” he said, concluding, “You know the difference between a passion and a profitable venture when you are being paid for doing what you love.”
Deyemi is known for his roles in films and television series such as King of Boys and Blood Sisters, and has remained a consistent presence in the Nigerian film industry over the past decade.
