Actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele has opened up about how she earned her first N1 million in 1999 after landing the breakout role of Bisi in the hit TV series I Need to Know.
In a video shared on her Instagram page on Saturday, Akindele recounted how her career began with minor “waka-pass” roles and numerous audition rejections before finally securing the opportunity that changed her life.
“I made that around 1999. I started my career from like 1996, playing waka pass roles, 1997 going for auditions, getting a lot of nos,” she recalled.
Persistence, she said, eventually paid off when she got her big break. “Then I got one big yes with ‘I Need to Know’ and that is how I got my first N1 million,” she said.
Funke Akindele also shared how she almost lost the role of Bisi during the pilot shoot because she was accused of overacting.
“I almost lost the role ‘Bisi’ in ‘I Need to Know’. I shot the pilot of I Need to Know first and I acted so well, and I was waiting for this callback. The callback didn’t come on time. I’m like, ah, okay.
“Then he just called me into the office. I’m like, okay, you’re a fantastic actress, you’re doing so well, but you’re overacting. They told me to go home and read my script, understand the character very well,” she said.
Akindele explained that after receiving that feedback, she returned home to practise with her younger sister, who helped her perfect the teenage tone the role required.
“I was so worried. I said how am I going to do it now? Then I got home, and I was so moody, and my younger sister was like sister, what’s wrong?
“I said, ‘I Need to Know’. They said I’m not talking like a teenager.
“She said ah because I was not a teenager when I was filming ‘I Need to Know’. She said ah, let me see the script and she held the script. She started reading.
“So I heard mama speak like a teenager, and immediately, you know, I took in the character and I started speaking like mama and that and that was how I got the role.
“So that was how I made my first one million naira. We were paid for an episode, but I will not tell you how much, but all together, ah, I was shocked. I was like me that always jump for bike.”
Speaking on how she spent the money, Akindele said she first showed the cash to her mother, who encouraged her to pay her tithe before treating herself to new clothes and shoes.
“What did I do with one million naira? First, I showed it to my mom. Of course, she knows about it, and then mommy advised and said I have to pay my tithe first,” she said.
“I paid my tithe, then I entered Yaba because I didn’t have shoes. I didn’t have maybe two or three I had there. I didn’t have good clothes.
“I changed my wardrobe, shoes, bags, everything. The girl that had no shoes yesterday has today.”
