I made my first million naira in 1999 – Funke Akindele

Persistence, she said, eventually paid off when she got her big break. “Then I got one big yes with ‘I Need to Know’ and that is how I got my first N1 million,” she said.

Funke Akindele also shared how she almost lost the role of Bisi during the pilot shoot because she was accused of overacting.

“I almost lost the role ‘Bisi’ in ‘I Need to Know’. I shot the pilot of I Need to Know first and I acted so well, and I was waiting for this callback. The callback didn’t come on time. I’m like, ah, okay.

“Then he just called me into the office. I’m like, okay, you’re a fantastic actress, you’re doing so well, but you’re overacting. They told me to go home and read my script, understand the character very well,” she said.

READ ALSO:

• Regina Daniels crisis stems from drug abuse, says Ned Nwoko
• Egypt likely to lead post-war Gaza stabilisation force
• Key ADC figures joining our party next week, says APC chairman

Akindele explained that after receiving that feedback, she returned home to practise with her younger sister, who helped her perfect the teenage tone the role required.

“I was so worried. I said how am I going to do it now? Then I got home, and I was so moody, and my younger sister was like sister, what’s wrong?

“I said, ‘I Need to Know’. They said I’m not talking like a teenager.

“She said ah because I was not a teenager when I was filming ‘I Need to Know’. She said ah, let me see the script and she held the script. She started reading.