Actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele has revealed that she earned her first N1 million in 1999 after playing the breakout role of Bisi in the popular TV series I Need to Know.
In a video shared on her Instagram page on Saturday, Akindele narrated how her acting journey began with small “waka-pass” roles and many failed auditions before she finally got 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.
According to her, perseverance eventually paid off when she landed the role that brought her into the limelight. “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 revealed that she almost lost the role of Bisi during the pilot shoot after being 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 this feedback, she went home to practise with her younger sister, who helped her develop the right teenage tone for the character.
“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 altogether, ah, I was shocked. I was like me that always jump for bike.”
Speaking about how she spent her first earnings, Akindele said she first showed the money to her mother, who advised her to pay her tithe before using the rest to buy 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.”
