Funke Akindele has spoken about how American filmmaker Tyler Perry influenced her journey as a storyteller. Speaking during an interview with BellaNaija, the award-winning filmmaker explained that she has never been ashamed of learning from people she admires.
According to her, Tyler Perry’s films taught her a lot about storytelling and screenwriting during her early years. However, she stressed that she did not stop there. She said she attended workshops, gained more experience, improved her skills, and eventually developed her own unique voice as a filmmaker. Funke also pointed out that growth is a continuous process. She noted that many upcoming filmmakers now say they have learned from her work, and she sees that as proof that creativity is passed from one generation to another.
Funke Speaks on Personal Sacrifices
Funke Akindele also revealed the personal sacrifices that helped her latest movie become a massive success. The Nollywood actress and filmmaker said the journey to making a film that earned ₦2.7 billion was far from easy. Instead, it demanded discipline, consistency, and total commitment. Funke said she put almost every part of her personal life on hold explaining that work became her main focus for a long time.
“What I do differently to achieve this level of success is lots of work. When I say ‘a lot of work,’ it means giving your all. I abandoned myself for work; I didn’t even make my hair, except when I am going on the red carpet or somewhere important. I don’t attend parties, I don’t go to greet people at home, I quit everything. I’m neck-deep in work; I sacrifice my time for it.”
The actress also shared that the demanding schedule affected her daily routine. She said she spent many nights without proper sleep and sometimes forgot to eat because of work. However, she believes every sacrifice was worth it.
“It’s now that I am relaxed, feeling fresh, doing the skincare. It was a lot of sacrifice, sleepless nights, forgetting to eat, giving my all,” she added.
Her story has inspired many fans who admire her commitment to building a successful career.
Earlier, Funke Akindele also reflected on her journey in an Instagram post. According to her, success did not happen overnight. She explained that the process involved learning, praying, and making tough decisions. The actress said she had to re-strategise, re-evaluate, and re-execute her plans before achieving the remarkable milestone. Her latest revelation is another reminder that behind every major success is years of hard work, sacrifice, and staying focused on the goal.
