In an industry where talent is abundant but true presence is rare, Bolaji Ogunmola stands out as one of Nollywood’s most dynamic, compelling, and quietly powerful actresses of her generation. Over the past decade, she has built a career rooted in intention, choosing roles that challenge stereotypes, amplify women’s narratives, and push the industry into new creative territories. From her early days on Next Movie Star to her breakout performances in Sobi’s Mystic, Tough Love, and All Shades of Wrong, Ogunmola has continually proven that she is more than a screen face; she is a storyteller with depth, versatility, and ambition.

2025 marked a defining moment in her career with Gingerrr, the high-energy, female-led action-comedy that took the Nigerian box office by storm. Not only does she star in the film alongside fellow powerhouses, but she also steps behind the camera as one of the executive producers, asserting her place in Nollywood’s new wave of actors shaping their own narratives and influencing industry direction. Her performance in Gingerrr captures exactly what makes her compelling: confidence, charisma, emotional agility, and a refreshing ability to hold her own within an ensemble cast without losing her individuality.

But beyond the spotlight, Bolaji is just as intriguing. She speaks candidly about beauty standards, about the pressures placed on young women, and about the emotional labour expected of firstborn daughters, conversations that have endeared her to a growing audience of young Nigerians who see their own stories reflected in hers. She is warm, witty, grounded, and unmistakably self-aware.

In this exclusive interview with THEWILL DOWNTOWN’s Johnson Chukwueke, she takes us through the journey of her evolution, her craft, her bold venture into production, and the woman she is outside the camera’s gaze.

 

The film is driven by four strong female characters. How did you prepare for your role, and what part of her felt closest to your real personality?

 

It wasn’t something I had played before, so it was new to me, and extremely challenging. But what I wanted to do was make it relatable and as authentic as someone who was struggling and found herself making bad decisions and still in love with this person. Someone who wanted to make amends, try to get out of a life that she was sucked into. So, having to watch films, research with my director, and go over the scripts over and over again, it really helped in preparing for the character.

The heist scenes were fast-paced and intense. What was the most challenging (or fun) moment for you on set?

 

My goodness, the action sequences were so funny and so interesting because we had to practice, and you know, because in the movie, we are women from different walks of life who have no training of any sort, we had to still portray them as people who had no experience in the fight. It was very interesting to do and to watch on the big screen. 

 

Gingerrr has been celebrated for redefining female-led action in Nollywood. What impact do you hope this film has on the roles women get in the industry?

 

Well, to be honest with you, women are for me, the bedrock of anything you know. So, having to see that women can do it, maybe it will help and inform people in general, investors, producers, film executives that they can bank on female-led action films and whatnot. It would also be a good avenue to promote collaboration between women in the industry as well in order to beat our own record of female-led films. So when people see the beauty of it and how the films excel, it leads to even more in the industry.

You trained at the Royal Arts Academy. How did that experience shape the actress we see today?

 

So I just left the University of Ilorin, and I said to myself that since I knew what I wanted to do, and it involves being in the entertainment world, I might as well go for it. One thing I always believed in is that you learn, and you also create. You could even create friends and have a network of people, but you have to have a starting point. For me, Royal Art was my starting point I needed in Lagos in terms of learning, even if I have experience, just teach me more. So things like the longos, I also had to understand what the business is all about, know what being an actor is all about. So that was why I went to Royal Art, and it was the only one I knew at that time. I just said I was going in to learn, network as well, and that was how I started my journey. I am just grateful because it was the beginning of understanding what being an actor entails and all.

 

You’ve starred in over 100 films. Looking back, what moment made you feel, “Yes, I’m truly becoming the actor I dreamed of”?

 

I would say I am still evolving. I wouldn’t say I am there yet; there’s just so much more in store for me. I will say that every role I have taken has gotten me here, and it’s a preparation for what I am doing now, and what I am doing now is preparation for what I am going to do next. So it has shaped me, that one role, that one scene, that one lead character, that one Youtube film, it has all shaped me into becoming what I am today, and I am grateful for it all.

 

As an actress-producer on the project, how did balancing both roles shape your experience making the movie?

 

It was quite easy because we had an on-site producer as well. So we did a lot of the heavy-lifting before we got on set, and then we left it for the on-site producer to take it on, so yeah, it was quite easy, and if there was a need for us to intervene and step in on set, we would do that. But majorly, we had to delegate as well.

Nollywood is evolving fast, with streaming, bigger budgets, and action films like Gingerrr. Where do you see yourself in this new wave?

 

I just want to be an ambassador for Nollywood, you know. I don’t believe that one actor should be streamlined to one thing, you are an actor, and you shouldn’t be boxed in. Do not allow people to box you in. Like saying you are supposed to be on Africa Magic, you are not supposed to be on Iroko, you are supposed to be on the big screen, and you are not supposed to be on streaming. We are actors, we show up, and show up well, regardless of whatever platform that’s coming. We come up and show that we can perform across the board. In terms of where we are now and how it works in my favour, I just believe it will work in my favour through God’s help. It is also the fact that I can play in different realms and meet more people, cause truthfully, my goal is to reach more people, and bring more people to our side. I have had conversations with people, and they were like, they don’t watch Nollywood movies, so as many people as I can reach, I believe I would have to use our product to get to them.  Whether I am on YouTube, Africa Magic, streaming on Netflix, or in the Cinema, I am just happy to be an ambassador who produces and creates good work.

 

When you’re not acting, producing, or on set, what does a “perfect Bolaji off-day” look like?

 

I sleep, I watch television, and I eat. I am a very introverted person, and I know a lot of people will not believe it, but I don’t like the noise as much. For me, it’s a job, and I go back to real life by being home. You know, being just Bolaji Ogunmola, who is just a girl, a sister, a daughter, and a neighbour. 

You’ve been very open about surviving real-life scares. How has that shaped your outlook on life?

 

Honestly, it’s just to take it easy and be grateful to God. The gift of going out and coming in is so underrated; you don’t think about it much or as a big item, but it’s a gift from God. I am so grateful to be here. Anything can happen at any time, and people will move on; that’s the truth. So you have to take one day at a time, take your health seriously. Your health is important, your safety is important, and make sure that you are your own priority; that’s what I do these days. I prioritise myself, it is very important because if you die, they will find a way to continue it and finish it as well without you. So it’s important to make sure that you prioritise yourself.

 

If you weren’t an actress, what career do you secretly think you would have excelled at?

 

There are honestly two choices for me, though. I would have been a lawyer, that’s number one, or I would probably be into Real Estate, but I think being a lawyer would have been very much top of my radar if I am being honest.

 

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