Actress, producer, and Nollywood director Deborah Ewedafe has opened up about the challenges she faced in the early days of her career, including a period when she quit acting due to her father’s disapproval.
In an exclusive interview on Kunle Afod’s official YouTube channel, Ewedafe revealed that her father, a pastor, strongly opposed her decision to pursue acting because of the negative perception surrounding actresses.
She explained that he believed many women in the industry were often associated with promiscuity, which made him uncomfortable with her career choice.
Although deeply passionate about acting, Ewedafe chose to honor her father’s wishes and stepped away from the industry for several years. However, her love for entertainment never faded, and she eventually found a way to reconnect with her dreams.
During her time away, she relocated to Europe, where she reignited her interest in the entertainment industry. While there, she played a pivotal role in facilitating collaborations by bringing Nollywood stars to Europe for movie productions.
Her efforts not only contributed to successful film projects but also helped her build strong professional relationships within the industry. In 2019, Ewedafe’s Nollywood journey took a significant turn when she fully re-entered the industry, this time as a producer. Since then, she has successfully produced several films, establishing herself as a respected filmmaker.
In her words; “I joined the entertainment industry in 1990. My father was a pastor and didn’t want me to go into acting because he believed most actresses were usually promiscuous. So, I stopped to obey my parents. After some years, I relocated to Europe, where I rekindled my interest in the entertainment industry. Eventually, I started inviting Nollywood stars to Europe so we could produce movies together and also have time to engage with them to build strong working relationships. In 2019, I fully ventured into Nollywood and have since produced several movies.”
Watch interview below