Nollywood Star Jide Awobona Opens Up on Controversial Female Role and Industry Insights
Nollywood actor and filmmaker Jide Awobona has sparked significant conversation with his latest film Rise With Me, where he portrays a female character. In an exclusive interview, Awobona addressed the surrounding controversies, shared his motivations for the role, and reflected on his experiences working with industry giants like Funke Akindele.
Addressing the Cross-Gender Acting Controversy
Towards the end of 2025, Awobona's transformation into a woman for Rise With Me ignited debates across social media platforms. While some netizens criticized the move as inappropriate for Nigerian culture, others defended it as legitimate artistic expression, citing international examples like Tyler Perry's Madea and Martin Lawrence's roles.
Awobona responded to these criticisms with confidence, stating he has no regrets about the film. "I'm proud of myself for making such a great movie," he declared. "For me, it's beyond just the character I played. It's about the story and the intention surrounding it."
The actor revealed his primary motivation was creating advocacy material addressing women's issues, particularly infertility challenges and the struggles career women face balancing professional and domestic responsibilities. "I wanted to make an advocacy material for women to talk about infertility issues and other options," he explained.
Defending His Artistic Choice
When questioned why he didn't cast a female actress for the role, Awobona emphasized this was an opportunity to demonstrate his range as an actor. "It's for me, showing my strengths as an actor," he stated. "I've played other characters, so the question should be did I do it right or not? I came looking like a woman to interpret the role."
He noted that the film included multiple female characters beyond his own role, countering suggestions that he excluded women from the production. The actor received particular encouragement from female viewers who appreciated the film's message, which he said was "enough for me" despite some negative reactions.
Praising Funke Akindele's Brilliance
Awobona, who featured in Funke Akindele's popular series Jenifa's Diary, described the acclaimed actress as brilliant to work with. "Funke Akindele is a brilliant person to work with," he shared. "Aside the fact that she's a sister, we've been working together for almost 20 years now. She's one fantastic filmmaker that you can't afford not to work with."
He identified working with Akindele as one of his career achievements, noting that Jenifa's Diary remains one of his most recognized projects that continues to receive references years later.
Navigating Social Media and Industry Challenges
The actor discussed his approach to handling social media criticism, describing platforms as essential but requiring careful management. "Social media is just one funny platform that you cannot do without," he observed. "But at the same time you have to be careful."
Awobona typically responds to criticism selectively, often remaining quiet or offering brief, thoughtful responses. Regarding industry challenges, he acknowledged the existence of sex-for-roles issues but noted men rarely experience this problem directly. Instead, he cited casting replacements due to envy or jealousy as more common obstacles in his career.
Balancing Career and Family Life
As a father of seven children who celebrated his 10th wedding anniversary in 2025, Awobona emphasized the importance of family support in maintaining work-life balance. "I have always been a family oriented person and work has never been a barrier in any way," he said. "When you have a very understanding family, I think you should have no problem."
Looking Forward to Future Projects
In his closing remarks, Awobona encouraged fans to anticipate more projects while highlighting that Rise With Me continues streaming on his YouTube channel. He maintains that misconceptions about him don't affect his focus on creating meaningful content that resonates with audiences.
The actor's decision to take on a female role has certainly generated discussion, but Awobona remains committed to his artistic vision and the important social issues his film addresses.
