‘I Traded My Scripts for Film Roles’ – Omoni Oboli Opens Up on Early Career Struggles

Nollywood actress, filmmaker, and director Omoni Oboli has revealed the challenges she faced at the beginning of her career, including trading her scripts for roles in movies.

Oboli, known for her popular Wives on Strike franchise, shared her experiences during an interview with Radionow 95.3 FM, as reported by Kristina Reports.

According to her, she would give out her screenplays without receiving any payment, just to secure roles in films.

She explained that this situation eventually pushed her toward directing her own films.

“I was trading my scripts, I’d say you know what, just take it, don’t pay me.”

“Just give me a role in the film.”

“So, I started to do that But then I’ll watch the film and I realised, Okay it’s not quite what I had in my head when I was writing cos I see what I’m writing, I write in pictures.”

“I see what I’m writing, so when I’m watching the movie it’s so different.”

“Not to say that it wasn’t good because no two directors will direct the same script in the same way.”

“So I said to myself, if my stories are going to have my DNA, then I’m going to have to direct them myself,” Oboli said.

Despite feeling nervous at the thought of directing, Oboli said she mustered the courage to follow her dreams, realizing that she had what it took to succeed.

“And it was a scary thought, really who do you think you are to come and direct a film? Like who are you again? You know it was so scary, but then I said to myself, Warri no dey carry lass na.”

“Wwetin dem get wey I no get? I was like, I’ll do this thing.”

“So I started understudying directors, like I’m acting on set but I’m watching the director closely.”

“And I said you know what? Maybe I need some formal education on this.”

“So I went to the New York Film Academy for a short course,” she added.

Omoni Oboli has since built a successful career, with several films to her credit, including Moms at War, Last Year Single (currently streaming on Netflix), and The Uprising: Wives on Strike 3, which is set to premiere in cinemas this October.