{"id":504,"date":"2021-02-07T05:22:55","date_gmt":"2021-02-07T05:22:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.withinnigeria.com\/entertainment\/?p=504"},"modified":"2021-02-07T05:22:55","modified_gmt":"2021-02-07T05:22:55","slug":"a-gaze-at-nollywood-actress-funke-akindeles-journey-to-stardom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.withinnigeria.com\/entertainment\/2021\/02\/07\/a-gaze-at-nollywood-actress-funke-akindeles-journey-to-stardom\/","title":{"rendered":"A gaze at Nollywood Actress, Funke Akindele\u2019s journey to stardom"},"content":{"rendered":"

Funke came to limelight after featuring in popular United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) sponsored sitcom; I Need to Know, which ran from 1998 to 2002.<\/p>\n

She played Bisi, a curious but highly intelligent secondary school student\u00a0and in 2009 she won the Africa Movie Academy Award\u00a0for Best Actress in a Leading Role.<\/p>\n

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Funke Akindele<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Journey To Stardom<\/h2>\n

Funke Akindele’s first experience for the camera was on Opa Williams set, \u2018Naked Wire\u2019.<\/p>\n

She heard about the audition back then and she\u00a0 just told her boss, \u2018oga I want to go for this audition\u2019. He was like, \u2018go, go, go\u2019.\u00a0 Luckily, she was given a role.<\/p>\n

According to Funke, the role was meant for a teenager, she was past teenage years but she went and luckily for her she secured the role.<\/p>\n

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Left: Actress Iyabo Ojo, Middle: Funke Akindele<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At the early stage of her career she tried series that were airing on TV as at that time. She was on \u2018Every Day People\u2019 and ‘Izozo\u2019<\/p>\n

When Funke didn\u2019t get the big break she was expecting from Series, she moved to Nollywood.<\/span><\/p>\n

Her first Yoruba movie feature was Kolade Alabi\u2019s \u2018Iroka\u2019.<\/p>\n

The producer told her about the movie at an event. She was part of the movie in Osogbo. She played a very minor role. It was in Ayo Adesanya\u2019s \u2018Heart Breaker\u2019, after then she crossed over to the faculty where you have Yinka Quadri, Ogogo, Abe Lanre, Yemi Alabi. They welcomed her, featured her in their movies, and she started he first major role.<\/p>\n

Her first lead role was in \u2018Ojo Ketala\u2019. Coincidentally, that was her first experience as a producer.<\/p>\n

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Ojo Ketala movie cover<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So almost immediately she became a producer.\u00a0 <\/strong>Narrating where she got the experience from, <\/strong>Funke Akindele said:<\/strong><\/p>\n

I believe I could do it and I started it. I watched how they did it. I\u2019ve been on different production sets and watched how they do it. They call people from different departments, different professionals. Finally I wrote my script, I invited the director of photography and the director. How are we going to do this, call this make-up artist, call this wardrobe person. And I gathered them together and we did the movie.<\/p>\n

Funke Akindele’s mother invested in her first movie. According to the actress, she believed in her but her dad wanted her to be a lawyer. So her father would just tell her then, \u2018go back, go to school, go and study law\u2019.<\/p>\n

Fast forward to today, Funke has featured, written and produced many Nollywood movies especially Yoruba movies and has many hit movies to her name. Some of her hit movies are Maami, Iru Oka (Cobra\u2019s tail), Omo Ghetto, Ojo Ketala (13thDay) and A Trip to Jamaica.<\/p>\n

Funke Akindele got her major breakthrough when she played the main character in a comedy-drama movie, Jenifa where she acted as a \u2018local girl\u2019 from the village who went to Lagos for a \u2018better\u2019 life.<\/p>\n

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Jenifa’s Diary cover<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The movie was not just entertaining and hilarious but a massive success which she did well to harness the potential. Jenifa inspired her ongoing TV series Jenifa\u2019s Diary. Jenifa\u2019s Diary has become a household name in most Nigerian homes and features talented artists such as Lota Chukwu, Folarin Falana (Falz Da bad guy) and Lolo, an OAP and TV personality.<\/p>\n

Funke Akindele speaking on how she cope with so much work said:<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s by the grace of God. I sleep like seven hours in the night and crash like one hour in the car.<\/p>\n

I have to because of the stress of my job. We\u2019re always on set acting. The light is really hot. And it won\u2019t be good if you don\u2019t eat and sleep. So I try my best to eat and sleep well. I need that energy to keep pushing on.<\/p>\n

Now that we already have a gaze on Funke Akindele’s rise to stardom, lets als have a look at the Actress’ Biography and profile.<\/p>\n

Funke Akindele Biography and Profile.<\/h2>\n

Funke was born on August 24, 1977, in Ikorodu, Lagos State, Nigeria.<\/sup>\u00a0She is the second of three children (two girls and one boy).<\/p>\n

Funke is the second of three children (two girls and one boy). Her mother is a medical doctor while her father is a retired school principal.<\/p>\n

She obtained an Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in Mass Communication from the former Ogun State Polytechnic, now Moshood Abiola Polytechnic and got a Law degree from the University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba.<\/p>\n

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Funke in London<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

She plays the lead character in the show\u00a0Jenifa’s Diary<\/i>,<\/sup>\u00a0for which she was named Best Actress in a Comedy at the 2016\u00a0Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards.<\/sup>\u00a0She has over 100 movies to her credit as actress, writer, and producer.<\/sup><\/p>\n

EDUCATION<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Funke<\/a> began her education at Grace Children Schools at Gbagada, Lagos. She later proceeded to Lagos State Model College, Igbokuta for her secondary school education.<\/p>\n

For her Tertiary education, she studied Mass Communication at the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (then referred to as Ogun State Polytechnic) where she obtained Ordinary National Diploma (OND).<\/p>\n

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Funke and Husband JJC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

She also bagged a Law degree from University of Lagos (UniLag). She obtained an Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in Mass Communication\u00a0from the former Ogun State Polytechnic, now\u00a0Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, and got a Law degree from the\u00a0University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba.<\/sup><\/p>\n

CAREER<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Funke entered the limelight after starring in popular United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)-sponsored sitcom\u00a0I Need to Know<\/i>, which ran from 1998 to 2002.<\/p>\n

She played Bisi, a curious but highly intelligent secondary school student. Funke Akindele’s big break came in 2009 when she appeared in the movie\u00a0Jenifa<\/i>.<\/p>\n

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Funke at the AMVCAs<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In July 2016, in an interview she stated she was acting less in the\u00a0Yoruba\u00a0film industry at that time because of piracy.<\/sup>\u00a0Akindele plays the lead character in the ongoing hit TV show\u00a0Jenifa’s Diary<\/i>, alongside\u00a0Fisayo Ajisola,\u00a0Falz,\u00a0Juliana Olayode, and\u00a0Aderounmu Adejumoke. The show is a spin-off from the movie\u00a0Jenifa<\/i>.<\/sup><\/p>\n

The 2018 comedy film\u00a0Moms at War<\/i>\u00a0stars Akindele and\u00a0Michelle Dede.<\/sup>\u00a0She is the CEO of Scene One Film Production.<\/sup><\/p>\n

In January 2018, there was a controversy when it was reported that Akindele would get her Hollywood debut in\u00a0Marvel’s\u00a0Avengers: Infinity War<\/i>\u00a0as she was listed as a member of the cast on\u00a0imdb.<\/sup>\u00a0Mainstream Nigerian press reported that she was set to star in\u00a0Infinity War<\/i>\u00a0as the guard Dora Milaje, citing IMDB.<\/sup><\/p>\n

Some weeks later her name was replaced with that of fellow Nigerian actress\u00a0Genevieve Nnaji, <\/sup>with Akindele’s upload shown to have been a hack.<\/sup>\u00a0In February 2018, it was reported that Senate President and Chairman of the National Assembly, Dr Bukola Saraki has advised Marvel Studios to feature Akindele in\u00a0Infinity War.<\/i><\/p>\n

AWARDS<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In 2009, Funke produced a record breaking movie titled \u201cJenifa\u201d and released \u201cReturn of Jenifa\u201d followed by \u201cJenifa\u2019s Diary,\u201d all of which has brought her more fame and prospects. She has also featured divers movies and produced several others such as Ohun buruku, Eda, Edunjobi, Etanu, Ole Ole, Akeju, Emi ni toto,
\nAgbefo, Okun ife, Risikat, Aje meta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Year<\/th>\nEvent<\/th>\nPrize<\/th>\nWork<\/th>\nResult<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
2009<\/td>\nAfrica Movie Academy Award<\/td>\nBest Actress Leading Role<\/td>\n<\/td>\nWon<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2009 Nigeria Entertainment Awards<\/td>\nBest Actress<\/td>\nJenifa<\/i><\/td>\nWon<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2010<\/td>\n2010 Best of Nollywood Awards<\/td>\nBest Actress in a Leading Role (Yoruba)<\/td>\nOguni Aiku<\/i><\/td>\nNominated<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2012<\/td>\n2012 Nigeria Entertainment Awards<\/td>\nBest Actress<\/td>\nTroj<\/i><\/td>\nWon<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2012 Nollywood Movies Awards<\/td>\nBest Actress (Indigenous)<\/td>\nEmi Abata<\/i><\/td>\nWon<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2012 Best of Nollywood Awards<\/td>\nBest Actress (English)<\/td>\nMarried but Living Single<\/i><\/td>\nNominated<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Zulu African Film Academy Awards<\/td>\nBest Actress<\/td>\nMaami<\/i>\u00a0and\u00a0The Return of Jenifa<\/i><\/td>\nWon<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2013<\/td>\n2013 Nollywood Movies Awards<\/td>\nBest Actress (Leading Role)<\/td>\nMaami<\/i><\/td>\nNominated<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Best Actress (Indigenous)<\/td>\nWon<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2014<\/td>\n2014 Nigeria Entertainment Awards<\/td>\nBest Actress (Leading Role)<\/td>\nAgnetta O\u2019Mpa<\/i><\/td>\nWon<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2014 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards<\/td>\nBest Actress (Comedy)<\/td>\nThe Return of Sheri Koko<\/i><\/td>\nWon<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
ELOY Awards<\/td>\nBrand Ambassador of the Year<\/td>\nOmo<\/td>\nWon<\/sup><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2016<\/td>\n2016 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards<\/td>\nBest Actress In Comedy Role<\/td>\nJenifa’s Diary<\/i><\/td>\nWon<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nigeria Entertainment Awards<\/td>\nBest Actress Series<\/td>\nNominated<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Naija FM Awards<\/td>\nSitcom Of The Year<\/td>\nWon<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Best Actress in Comedy<\/td>\nWon<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Africa Entertainment Legend Awards<\/td>\nBest Actress of the Year<\/td>\n<\/td>\nWon<\/sup><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2016 Ghana Movies Awards<\/td>\nBest Actress Africa Collaboration<\/td>\nA Trip to Jamaica<\/i><\/td>\nWon<\/sup><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2017<\/td>\nAfrica Magic Viewers Choice Awards<\/td>\nBest TV Series<\/td>\nJenifa’s Diary<\/i><\/td>\nWon<\/sup><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Best Actress in a Comedy Movie or TV Series<\/td>\nWon<\/sup><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
A Trip to Jamaica<\/i><\/td>\nNominated<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2017 Nigeria Entertainment Awards<\/td>\nBest Lead Actress<\/td>\nWon<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Funke Akindele Movies<\/h2>\n