Baaj Adebule is a familiar face in the Nigerian movie industry and asides being a model and TV presenter, he is also a filmmaker. The 32-year-old Ogun State-born actor, who began acting full-time in 2012, in this interview by
FEMI OGUNTAYO, talks about himself and his career. Excerpts:
Can you tell us about your childhood and education?
I had a very great family, great parents, it was a great family. It was a family where you get everything you need and not necessarily everything you want. So, they made sure I had everything I needed to have and have a potentially secured future, as far as growing up was concerned. I am very thankful for that, it is a privilege to have such an upbringing. I graduated with a Second Class Upper in Economics from Covenant University and I did a little bit of 9 to 5 before I eventually decided to go fully into entertainment, specifically, acting.
How and when did you start acting professionally?
For the how, it started when I was still experimenting with life. I started asking myself why I was where I was, what I was supposed to be doing with my life and all that. So, I was trying out different things, while I was doing 9 to 5, I would also try out different things. I did some TV presenting, modelling, just trying to find where I am supposed to be sort-of. So, a friend of mine told me about the TV show ‘Tinsel’. By that time, I only knew about the Tinsel audition, I wasn’t watching it. So, I went for the audition, had my name down. At that time, I was into modelling. So, after a couple of months, they called me for the reading. I came in for the reading and even though I didn’t really do particularly well, but luckily for me, I still got the role and that was how I got featured in two episodes and knew that, this is it. So, I wouldn’t say I started professionally then, I didn’t start professionally till 2012/2013, even though my first acting experience was all the way back in 2011.
What would you regard as your big break, which put you in the limelight?
That was in 2016, I got the huge privilege to be cast as one of the lead characters in the popular show ‘Hush’, which is still showing every day on Mnet. Being on that kind of show and production, especially with the crew and cast on it also, put anyone playing that kind of role in the limelight. So, it was a rare privilege for me.
Let’s talk about your involvement in the series, The Men’s Club, which was very prominent during the lockdown. How did you get the role and how do you find the spotlight it gave you?
For The Men’s Club, I got the email to come for the reading. Apparently, the director and producer I previously worked with previously on the film, ‘Payday’ had recommended me. So, they called me for the reading. The audition was done by the line producer and Dami Elebe. Dami already knew me from some other projects; even the line producer had seen some of my previous projects. So, I think that was what helped me. I went with good credentials, I just bumped the audition, I don’t think I smiled once throughout the audition. So, I guessed that was what worked for me, because they never told me why they cast me, even though I actually never asked too. Before TMC, I was already having a forward-moving career. My fan base was already getting strong because I already featured pretty great projects like Hush, Soldier’s Story, the Governor etc., which were well known too at the time. But TMC really took it to another level. It now looks like one is now more available. The fact that you can just go on YouTube to watch it at any time and as many times as possible really helps your fans to really connect with you better. So, that really helped, it definitely pushed my fan base to another level because it was a pretty great show. I don’t think there is someone on the show that isn’t doing well and isn’t grateful that they are on the show.
How would you describe your 2021 so far?
2021 has been pretty decent as far as work is concerned, but when you now put life into it and everything that it entails, it has obviously not been a pretty decent year, as far as the state of the world is concerned. I don’t think we have really learned anything from 2020. We have sort-of moved more into survival mode which means, we are living in fear. So, putting the world in perspective, it hasn’t been a pretty great year.
Would you say the fact that you came 4th in the Mr Nigerian Pageant influenced your decision to go fully into acting?
It didn’t actually; I was already going to do that. What it influenced was that I tried out other things when acting wasn’t working out. When I started acting, I wasn’t really getting any role, and I was broke. So, I had to start exploring other avenues of making money in the mean time and still would have time to focus on my acting career. I started modelling and TV presenting and in both occupations, if you look pretty good and speak good English, it really helps.
What is your greatest fear as an actor?
If one grows up and still watches foreign materials, you will inevitably imagine getting to work with some of the best directors, actors and filmmakers in the world. So, if there is any fear in me, it would be not getting to do that, it really scares me. If I don’t get to do that, I am afraid it is going to be a big regret for me.
As an actor, you also model; which would you say pays the bill the most?
At the start of my career, modelling was paying the bills because I was getting lots of commercials but the acting picked up and definitely the acting is paying the bills more now.
Because of your looks and the kind of movies you feature in, do you not get people who don’t believe you are Yoruba?
Oh, I get that all the time. That is normal. In fact, I have had someone argue with me about it. There was also a time like that; I was shopping, so on a normal level, I was trying to bring the price down. So, he said I’m selling it to you because you are my brother o. I was like, oya now. So, he agreed to the price. He was from the East. So, later I told him, I am actually Yoruba and he said it was a lie. He started arguing with me that I had to show him my driver’s license before he could believe me. He felt kind of betrayed (laughs), I just laughed and said you already agreed on the price. So, it happens a lot but I couldn’t care less.
Who is your type of woman?
I definitely want my woman to be beautiful, but I am this kind of individual that no matter how beautiful I think you are, immediately I start talking to you, I have to be intrigued by the words coming out of your mouth. I need to actually enjoy talking to you. So, having a good set of brains definitely helps. So no matter how beautiful you are, if you don’t have a good set of brains, intelligence, sense of humour, open-mindedness the beauty will definitely disappear in seconds. So, it is a combination of both for me.
What are your plans for the rest of the year, career-wise? What should your fans expect from you?
They should expect some really great movies coming to Netflix, cinema and Iroko TV, from different genres actually and I am pretty excited about every single one of them. From the filmmaking point of view, I will definitely be releasing, my directorial feature film debut ‘Come with me this year and also ‘3 Bottles on the Table’. Both are going to be released in the coming weeks.
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