Actress and skit maker, Olukemi Niyi-Aluko, popularly known as Diva Gold, has pushed back against the notion that success in the entertainment industry requires compromising one’s values.
In an interview with Saturday Beats, Gold addressed what she described as a common but misguided belief among aspiring entertainers.
“A lot of people think that one needs to belong to a certain clique or compromise oneself, sleep around with producers and directors before they can actually become a star or shine in the industry.
“I completely disagree with that. I believe talent, consistency, and above all, grace and prayer, are better than any shortcut. Staying true to yourself will eventually pay off someday. It will open the right doors for you in the industry.”
When asked about the types of stories that should be off-limits for comedy skits, the actress said, “Some stories shouldn’t make their way into comedy skits at all, because comedy is supposed to heal and make people happy. When comedy content starts getting rooted in deep trauma, tragedy or very serious issues like abuse, whether sexual or domestic, it stops being comedy and becomes something else. It ends up triggering people. Comedy should uplift the soul, not leave scars.”
Speaking on her creative aspirations beyond acting, Diva Gold revealed her interest in stepping behind the camera.
“The skill I would love to master outside of acting is directing. I’d love to take a story from script to screen exactly how I envisioned it in my head. Having that kind of technical power would elevate my level of creativity,” she said.