Funke Akindele reveals she nearly lost her breakout role in 2

Nollywood actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele has revealed that she almost missed out on her breakout role as “Bisi” in the hit TV series I Need to Know.

Speaking in a recent interview, Akindele recalled being told she was overacting during the pilot shoot, a comment that left her worried about losing the part.

“I almost lost the role of Bisi in I Need to Know. I shot the pilot and acted so well, but the call back didn’t come on time,” she said. “Then I was called into the office and told, ‘You’re a fantastic actress, but you’re overacting. Go home and understand the character better.’”

Akindele shared that her younger sister helped her perfect the teenage character. “I wasn’t a teenager when I was filming, so my sister read the script and started speaking like a teenager. I listened to her and immediately took in the character — that was how I got the role,” she explained.

The actress also recounted earning her first ₦1 million from the show, which she described as a life-changing moment. “I was shocked. Me that used to jump on bikes, I couldn’t believe it,” she said with a smile.

Akindele revealed that she first showed the money to her mother, who advised her to pay her tithe before treating herself to a new wardrobe. “I didn’t have good clothes or shoes then, so I went to Yaba and changed my entire wardrobe,” she said. “The girl who had no shoes yesterday has today.”