Laide Bakare’s journey into Nollywood began remarkably early. At just nineteen, while still a second-year university student, she made her screen debut in Adeyemi (1999), launching a career that has since spanned acting, film production, entrepreneurship, and brand promotion. A graduate of History and Strategic Studies from the University of Lagos, with earlier training in Theatre Studies, Bakare grew up in an environment where cinema felt almost inevitable. Her father’s hotel, a familiar stop for visiting film stars, became an informal apprenticeship that nurtured her passion for performance. Over the years, she has become a recognizable presence in both mainstream Nollywood and the Yoruba-language film industry, with acclaimed works such as Asiri Owo, Okun Omo Iya, and Ore Meta. Beyond her impressive résumé, however, Laide is delightfully energetic — warm, humorous, and full of life — qualities that make her as engaging off-screen as she is before the camera. Laide Bakare and Kolawole Olaiya of Nollywood in Review met on the set of a film in July 2026 and had a brief but interesting conversation on her career in Nollywood that will interest film scholars and enthusiasts alike.

#LaideBakare #NollywoodInReview #Nollywood #AfricanCinema