Veteran Nigerian actor, Jide Kosoko has revealed that he has five children in the movie industry.
In this absolutely rare appearance, the movie-star and his two popular children Sola and Bidemi had a chat with Punch, where they opened up on acting and family.
Revealing the names of his children who are in the movie industry, the veteran actor said: “Five of my children are actually in the movie industry. Bidemi and Sola are actors while Tunde is a director. Their siblings, Temilade and Muyiwa, are also in the industry.”
He also explained that he didn’t force any of his children into the movie industry.
“The circumstances that brought each of them is different. In Sola’s case, I asked her to play a role in one of my movies. As for Bidemi, she has been in my theatre group for a long time,” he said.
“She also studied Theatre Arts as the Lagos State University. So, I did not drag anybody into the movie industry. In my family, almost everybody participates in my productions right from childhood. Gradually, some of them started having interest in the job.”
Speaking on how it feels working with her father on the same set, Sola Kosoko who is also a director and movie producer revealed that she used to be nervous at first.
“When I first got into the industry, I used to fidget when acting with dad because I always wanted to get it right. I did not want him to complain about my performance. But in the course of doing that, I usually got my act wrong,” she explained.
“However, that does not happen anymore. I feel I am now a veteran in my own right. I was able to overcome that fright a long time ago. Whenever I am acting with my father, I am always happy because I feel we are both professionals.”
Unlike Sola who was asked to play a role in her father’s movie, Bidemi Kosoko was clear on her career goal right from start. She described her father as her role model.
“He is my role model, and that is not just because he is my father. He gave me reasons to choose this career path and I have never had any regrets. He believes in my dreams and he always encourages me to go for whatever I want. He believes so much in me and I am always motivated to get better at all times because I don’t want to ever let him down,” she said.
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“Also, seeing him succeed and doing great things in the industry gave me more reason to fear nothing and pursue my dreams.”
Speaking on how he has been able to stay relevant in the movie industry, Jide Kosoko attributed his success to “God’s grace.”
“This is my fifty-seventh year as an actor. I started acting when I was 10 years old. For my first production with Ifelowo Travelling Theatre (Makanjuola), I played a lead role. For one to stay relevant, one has to be versatile and ready to interpret one’s role to the best of one’s abilities,” he said.
“One also has to constantly evolve and learn new things. Acting requires a lot of brain work because one has to study scripts all the time. It is all about dedication, focus and one’s ability to deliver.
“However, the most important factor is God’s grace. There are many talented actors out there, so it takes God’s grace for one to be recognised and celebrated.”