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Entertainment of Saturday, 18 April 2020

Source: Punchng

Poverty didn’t lead me to acting –Yinka Quadri

Yinka Quadri Yinka Quadri

Actor, Yinka Quadri, maintains that poverty wasn’t his motivation for becoming an actor. The veteran role interpreter noted that he got into the make-believe world because of his passion for the craft, adding that he was born into a rich family.

Quadri made this known during the week on an Instagram Live chat with comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka. He said, “I was working for my father before I joined the industry. Then, it was difficult for me to tell anyone I was involved in ‘theatre’. I was doing it without anyone’s knowledge. In those days, 90 per cent of actors did it for the passion. No one expected to be paid for acting back then. My father was a very successful and rich businessman; you can ask anybody In Lagos. Poverty didn’t make me become an actor. I joined willingly without the knowledge of my parents.”

Making a comparison between movies made these days and those from years back, he said, “Movies of nowadays have better quality than before. However, when it comes to storylines, you cannot compare the ones of these days to those of the past. And that is the aspect I want us to look into.”

Quadri also bemoaned the lack of passion in young people who wanted to join the industry, adding that they were motivated by the glitz and glamour.

“I tell people that I started using cars in 1982 and since then, I have never been without a car, not even for one month. It could be a small or big car, but then we were acting for the passion and when one does it for the passion, one dedicates hundred per cent of one’s efforts to it. But today, people see the likes of Funke Akindele, Faithia Balogun and Iyabo Ojo and decide they want to join the industry because of the fame. The passion is missing and that is why the real sense of belonging is not there.”

Quadri noted that he doesn’t reject roles. “I don’t discriminate in acting. I don’t reject roles,” he said.