Aramide Damilola Ottun is a budding Yoruba actress blessed with both brain and beauty. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Lagos. She’s a producer of two films, namely; Public Toilet and 1 O’Clock. She has also featured in many films, among which are Legal Wife, Igbese Kan, Corpers’ Lodge, Bangles and many others.

In this interview with AYO ONIKOYI, she speaks on her journey into Nollywood, the industry and others things that have shaped her life.

The beginning

Acting has always been a thing of interest to me right from my primary school days. I used to call friends around to mimic them. Friends would gather around me during the break time to watch me put a smile on their faces and sometimes I got a free lunch doing so. Then it was something I did for fun not knowing it was a calling. Watching myself do what I enjoy doing on TV brings tears of joy and a feeling of fulfilment. Thanks to the likes of my mentor Antar Laniyan who made it possible for me to start professionally.

Challenges

The major challenge as a producer is sourcing funds. Other challenges include looking for sponsors, trying to find characters that best suit your imagination as well as welfare and logistics involving the cast and crew. I started as a nobody, loads of things were thrown at me. I remember one producer telling me I wasn’t good enough. A colleague also told me I was wasting my time. Hard work and persistence got me this far. I once got that producer and that colleague to work with me on my own project. I am sure they must have forgotten what they said but those words motivated me, it made me grow a thick skin. The past motivates me to work on my present. And to my mentors and guardians, I will forever be grateful.

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Low and high moments

The highest point of my career so far was taking a bold step to produce my own movie. It wasn’t easy at all. I repeat it wasn’t easy at all for me. And the low point was when I started getting disappointment from people, the gossips and small talks plus lack of investors. I nearly had a heart attack when royalties weren’t coming in as expected but I got to understand the industry during my second production. Thanks to God I got more than I imagined. The lesson learnt was never to put your trust and hope in people and always have a plan B for every Plan A. What will be will always be but never have the mind of going through the back door. No short cut to success. God is the way out

On sex, relationship and marriage

Sex should be when you want to start breeding, like having kids. Marriage should be when you are mentally ready for what marriage entails and a relationship is about preparing your body, soul and mind for marriage and sex. Life is in circles, those three are real circles of life.

Sexiness

To be sexy is to be confident, smart, well mannered and neatly dressed. Yes, a woman should flaunt her endowment when she can.

Social media

Social media has shown me what is to come in the movie industry and how prepared I should be. Many actors and actresses are coming up with no one-way style of acting and I have to be on that side of diversity. Producers, content creators, scriptwriters and directors are out there show casting new style of filming plus acting. Now is about taking advantage of each opportunity, learning from what others are putting up, working and avoiding a repetition of their own errors when I am putting out my own stuff. Social media has shown me that the movie industry is not what it used to be.

Limitations

There’s no limitation in my dictionary as an actress. I go all hard and out. There’s no role I can’t take on and interpret very well. I’m here to win now and always.

Selling points

My dedication, passion and determination are my selling points. Understanding scripts, interpreting them so well and respecting people are parts of my selling points and so far so good it has brought me this far. They will tell you “Aramide Ottun is dedicated, loyal, respectful, gives you 100% attention on set and yes she interprets her scripts so well”.

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Feminism

Feminists are a bunch of myopic, self-centred, mediocre ladies.

Heartbreaks

It’s like saying or asking you why do human drink water. Show me a man or a woman that’s not got his or her heartbroken before. We all have been to the island of heartbreaks. Some still live there but I went on a visit, though the journey wasn’t fine. But thank God I am here today, stronger and much beautiful on the inside than outside.

Lucrativeness of acting

It’s lucrative when you master your craft through hard work and understand the Nigerian film industry. First, you need to know you will have lots of sleepless nights. Second, fear of the unknown, it is the number one downside of working and not getting it right but if you get it right you get the pay. Before acting can be lucrative it entails a lot of hard work, determination, focused and stability. One can become an’ A’ list for producers, content creators, companies looking for brand ambassadors to push out their brand and of course, in some cases, marketers might demand your appearance based on fans requests and you know what that means:- more money. With that, I am sure bills get paid.

Vanguard News Nigeria