Actress Jaiye Kuti has expressed her deep passion for acting, stating her desire to remain on screen until she turns 80.
In an interview with Sunday Scoop, the veteran actress said, “I see myself still acting at the age of 80. This is not a profession one retires from. Even at 100, they might say, ‘Just sit down, we want to see your face.’ That’s how beautiful this job is.”
“In the entertainment industry, one doesn’t want to get old because we sell our faces, bodies and personalities. So, one doesn’t want to get or look old.”
Emphasising the importance of continuously honing one’s craft, she said, “Whatever talent and craft one is blessed with by God, some people have a natural gift. You take it and renew it. When you renew it every day, it always looks new.”
The actress also stated that rebranding and self-care play crucial roles in keeping actors relevant. “That is why it doesn’t look like we are getting old. Yes, one if getting older everyday, but we just focus on rebranding,” she added.
Sharing her fitness routine, Kuti said, “I love walking. Even when I am supposed to drive or take a taxi, I walk. I walk every day. When one does that regularly, it helps the skin and relaxes the nerves. I also take a lot of water.”
Speaking on the evolving standards in Nollywood, she noted, “A couple of years ago, one could do anything (in terms of quality), but these days, you cannot just do anything (it has to be topnotch). I produce both YouTube and cinema movies. We all want to go to the cinema; we want the world to see what we have.”
The actress also encouraged her younger colleagues in the industry to be dedicated and resilient.