- Says: My Role In Picture Perfect Gave Me My Big Break
Have you noticed a popular face on the back covers of Nollywood movies lately? It is no other person than a handsome new toast of the make-believe industry, Bolanle Ninalowo, fondly called “Makanaki” by his teaming fans.
He has gradually become the most-sought-after actor as you would hardly come across any movie jacket recently and you would not see him among the actors.
He is tall, huge and handsome and these are among the many qualities and attributes that have endeared him to many producers even other actors. They always want to feature with him in movies and his delivery is out of this world. This is what he has been doing for many years despite that he is based in the US. The business man-cum-actor got his major break when he featured in a blockbuster movie, Picture Perfect in 2017.
Bolanle Ninalowo in one of his posts on Instagram on 7th of July stated how he featured in the movie “Picture Perfect” last year and how his performance turned thing around for him. In his words “It’s amazing what can happen to a man in just one year. How God can turn things around at any given time.
Thank God for His grace, mercy, and favour as I celebrate today July 7th the one year release of this film (Picture Perfect), which I regard as my breakthrough and a special blessing from above. Thanks to Iroko Tv and the entire crew and cast, who all worked extremely hard to make it a success and most importantly the viewers and fans for the love and support. The race is not to the swift, neither is a skill to the man of understanding, but time and chance happen to all. Thank God for Grace.”
Bolanle, who is born into the influential Ninalowo family in Ikorodu, Lagos State, started his career in 2010 on relocating to Nigeria. He spent the first 15 years of his life in Nigeria and later relocated to Chicago USA, where he lived for another 15 years.
Bolanle studied Accounting at Devry University and Marketing at Keller Graduate School of Management both in America. He was a banker and also an accountant at a company called General Growth Properties in Chicago before his journey into acting started.
According to Ninalowo, “Acting was my core area of interest, so I decided to give it a try when I relocated to Nigeria in 2010. Unfortunately for me at the time, I knew no one or had any ideas of how to get started, so I took a chance in producing a movie entitled. “Rebirth, with no experience or support. I then decided to give up the interest and started my record label, Diesel Music. I signed a few artistes, but within three years, it failed and I lost all my savings”.
With everything gone and deserted, Bolanle, after his complete failure, realised that all he could do was to turn to God and started growing spiritually and by December of 2014, he took another bold step to conquer his fear of failing again by calling his cousin, Rukky Sanda, for help and was given his first role that year and that marked the beginning of his journey into Nollywood industry.
Since then, he has been the toast of movie producers in the industry and has been moving from one location to another in both the English and Yoruba genres. Speaking on Nollywood. Bolanle Ninalowo has risen to become a force to reckon with in the industry and that now makes him the most-sought-after actor in Yoruba movie industry at the moment, because every lady in the industry loves to work with Makanaki.
Speaking on his role in Perfect Picture last year and the challenges he faced while interpreting the role that we can authoritatively say launched him into the limelight in the Yoruba movie. Ninalowo said: “Picture Perfect has been my most challenging movie.
Jobe was a big risk I took which could have made or broken my career. I went into solitude for the Jobe character. I did all I could with the limited resources I had. To get the accent, I went to motor parks to study the mannerisms needed, I was a bus driver and also took turns as a bus conductor at Ojuelegba for two weeks as part of my main study. I surrounded myself and liaised with people of his calibre throughout the period that led to the shooting of the film.
In the first phase of Bolanle’s career, which he made a three-year plan, he never turned down any role or script down except it involved nudity. Bolanle was doing everything and anything as long as it was ethical and in line with his core goals and objectives. He is successful today by the grace of God, as a result of determination, discipline, focus, diligence, and perseverance.
Aside acting, Bolanle also runs a car dealership company, which is a family business. His father, who had always been a prominent car dealer bequeathed the business to him and his siblings.
Bolanle loves wearing T-Shirts, Jeans Sunshade and Jewellery. He is presently separated from his wife but the union was blessed with two kids. Aliyah and Morakiyo and they are both living with their mum in America.
Recently, City People’s BIODUN ALAO spoke with this talented actor Bolanle in Lagos and he revealed a lot. Excerpts of the interview.
Would you say the movie “Picture Perfect” gave you your big break in your career?
Yes, acting the character “Jobe” is my breakout role, it is actually the one that God has used to bless me with acceptance and accolades. Ever since I acted that role, my acceptance level and rating went so high. I give all the glory to God for His grace.
How challenging was it, interpreting that role? Was it like going out of your comfort zone?
I believe so much in hard work, and I try so hard to put in and give my best to my fans. I had to do extra work to interprete my character in “Picture Perfect”. I went to motor parks to study the mannerism the character needed. I was a bus driver, and also took turns as a bus conductor at Ojuelegba for 2 weeks as part of my main study. I spoke and made friends with people of Jobe’s caliber throughout the period before the shooting of the film.
Do you now have plans of featuring more in both Yoruba and English genre movies?
Yes, that is what I did before now, at least, I did like 2 or 3 movies. Even before I featured in Picture Perfect I have always wanted to embrace the Yoruba culture, but I thank God after my role in “Picture Perfect” my acceptance level and rating went so high. So my fans will be seeing me both in English and Yoruba genre movies respectively.
Any plans to remarry since you are separated from your wife?
You never know. Why not, if God says Yes. Though right now, I’m fully focused on my career and the upbringing of my kids. Like you already know, we are separated, but my kids still live with her in America, but I have good communication with them.
How do you cope with distraction from the opposite sex, considering your looks?
I am a very focused person, and I don’t allow fame to get into my head. I have lots of respect for the opposite sex. People love me and I respect them in return and it doesn’t go beyond that.
How have you been able to maintain being at the top in Nollywood?
It’s God, and I’m a product of Grace. I keep my confidence in God. I pray and believe so much in God. It is not my doing actually, it’s just God. I pray hard and work harder. I’m just very grateful to God for His grace upon my life, I have no power over the fans. I only have power over my work, and God has indeed, been faithful. So, I don’t do anything extraordinary to keep myself where I am today. It’s God, only God.
What about your music career?
It was shut down simply because it was the right thing to do at that particular time, I did all I could do to achieve success but it didn’t make any headway. So, I decided to stop and give acting a trial. I even had a record label, but it didn’t work.
