I grew up on TV – Actor Nonso Diobi on why he is still unmarried at 48.

Veteran Nollywood actor Nonso Diobi has revealed the emotional and psychological toll that a lifelong career in acting has had on his relationships and why he remains unmarried at 48.

Speaking during a recent interview, the beloved actor revealed that growing up in the spotlight and living much of his life on TV made it difficult for him to relate to the world outside of scripted roles.

Let me make it very snappy: a lot of actors and filmmakers find it difficult to differentiate between the real world and the make-believe one. I tried; I have given love and relationships chances.

Diobi explained how the blurred lines between his real life and the characters he portrayed for decades have made it challenging to build lasting romantic connections. Due to those blurred lines, building romantic relationships became a challenge for him over the years.

“I grew up on TV and don’t know what it means to be a regular guy” – Actor Nonso Diobi on why he is still unmarried at 48. pic.twitter.com/HnYCvLAHUG

— Chudé (@chude__) May 29, 2025

I’ve tried consistently but what people don’t understand is that I’ve been making efforts to build relationships with people that could lead to marriage but guess what? I realised that there were certain things that I wasn’t doing right. I was seeing the relationships from the perception of scripts that I always write. 

Actors act for too long and live in the make-believe world for so long that they practically forget how to live in the real world. The world is a different ballgame from the movies.

I grew up on TV so I don’t know what it means to be a regular guy, I don’t know what regular people know. Everything about me is film and storylines. I’ve lived in people’s realities for so long that I’ve forgotten how to live in my own reality.