Actors should have egos - Iretiola Doyle

Actress, Iretiola Doyle, has been an active player in the make-believe world for a while and over the years, she has shown that she is one who knows her onions. Respected for her strict interpretation of roles, Doyle has said she pays a lot of attention to any character she plays.

Speaking at a workshop held for actors during the week, the actress said, “What separates me from others in Nollywood is that I give more thoughts to my characterisation. I pay a lot of attention to my mannerisms and inflections. You need to pay attention to the characters you play and ask yourself, ‘Have I played this role before? How can I make the difference’?”

Reminiscing on how she got her first role in Nollywood, the ‘Tinsel’ actress said, “How did I get my first role in Nollywood? I went for an audition and the person who was to play a particular role came late. They then decided to try me out for the role and were surprised that I interpreted it well. That was how I got the role. At the beginning of one’s career, one should focus on getting one’s work out there.”

Referring to the youth, Doyle said, “You people exist in very exciting times. You have social media. Instagram is like your personal television station. There are people who have become famous and wealthy just by posting skits on Instagram (so you should take advantage of it).”

Speaking further, the mother of six maintained that contrary to what some may think, it was important for actors to have egos. She added, “The worst thing for an actor to have is not an ego. You need an ego. Anytime you step out to do your work, you give people an opportunity to criticise you. So you will need an ego. You need to have a thick skin. A lack of self-confidence happens because we are always second guessing ourselves, asking what if I fail? What if I don’t do it well. Even if you don’t do it well, there will always be room for you to improve.”