'The Pay Was Nonsense' – Deyemi Okanlawon on Why He Quit Acting in 2019

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 Popular Nollywood actor Deyemi Okanlawon has revealed that he deliberately stepped away from acting in 2019 after becoming frustrated with the kind of opportunities available to him at the time.

Speaking during an appearance on the CreativiTea podcast, the award-winning actor disclosed that he reached a point where he was no longer excited about going to movie sets because the projects he was landing failed to meet both his creative and financial expectations.

According to Okanlawon, he had left the stability of a corporate career to pursue acting full-time, believing it would allow him to express his passion while earning a decent living. However, after several years in the industry, he found himself taking on roles that he considered uninspiring and poorly paid.

Reflecting on that period, the actor admitted he began questioning whether he had made the right career decision. 

He explained that waking up each day to work on projects that did not motivate him became emotionally draining, eventually leading him to put his acting career on hold.

"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.

He continued, "It was difficult to wake up in the morning and go to work, and 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."

Following his decision, Okanlawon returned to the corporate world and took up a marketing role with Silverbird Film Distribution. 

The actor noted in previous interviews that his wife, Damilola, stood firmly behind his decision and encouraged him during the challenging period, giving him the confidence to reassess his career without unnecessary pressure.

After taking time away from the movie industry, Okanlawon made his comeback to Nollywood in 2020 with renewed determination. 

Since then, he has enjoyed a remarkable resurgence, featuring in several commercially successful and critically acclaimed productions.

Some of the projects that marked his return include Omo Ghetto: The Saga, Blood Sisters, The Black Book, All's Fair in Love, and Red Circle, performances that have further cemented his reputation as one of Nollywood's most versatile actors.

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