NEED TO KNOW

• Tobi Bakre left banking for entertainment after spending years in the corporate world. He won Best Actor at both the 2023 AMVCA and AMAA Awards.
• Bakre was accepted into the Berlinale Talents 2024 programme, one of the film industry’s respected global platforms.
• He became one of Nollywood’s highest-grossing actors following the success of films like Brotherhood and The Blood Covenant.
• Away from fame, Bakre says he enjoys quiet family time, video games and a simple lifestyle.

Before the awards, many Nigerians knew Tobi Bakre as the lively Big Brother Naija housemate who knew how to hold attention. Fame came fast. So did the pressure.

Years later, he has built a different name for himself in Nollywood. With films like Brotherhood and Gangs of Lagos, Bakre has moved from reality TV fame into a more serious acting career.

In 2023, he won Best Actor at the AMVCA and AMAA. He also got into Berlinale Talents 2024, placing him in wider film conversations beyond Nigeria.

But away from the wins and film sets, Bakre sounds calmer than the public image people know. He says he is more religious, family-oriented and happiest around his wife, children, food and good internet for video games.

Speaking exclusively with Guardian Life, Bakre talks about fame, family, money, acting, ambition and why he believes he has not scratched the surface yet.

You left banking, entered Big Brother Naija, and years later became one of Nollywood’s highest-grossing actors. When you look at your life now, what part of that journey still feels unreal to you?

All of it. The young me saw a future in corporate life and nothing particularly tied to my current reality. Doing what I do now, to love it, be loved for it and be successful at it. I’d say it’s all God’s grace, and for that I am always grateful.

There is a version of Tobi Bakre the public sees: confident, energetic, always switched on. But who is the man people close to you know when the cameras disappear?

I am still the same person. But sometimes a lot calmer, religious and very family-oriented. Spending time with my family is my favourite thing to do. I can be really introverted these days. Leave me with food and good internet for my video game, and I’d be just fine.

Fame came to you very publicly through reality television. Did becoming famous before fully understanding yourself ever confuse your identity or sense of purpose?
I always knew who I was and was always understanding of the fact that I would change as a person over the course of my life and experiences, and I have always been open to that fact. How I was in the transition of fame and the different levels of fame simply helped reaffirm who and what I thought I was.

Your father is a respected businessman and traditional title holder. How much pressure came with carrying the Bakre name while trying to build your own legacy outside banking?
I have always had the most supportive parents. They have been very present and encouraging on every step of my journey. They are the most amazing humans, and my goal is to live a good life that they will be proud of and will be worth all their sacrifices.

Nollywood is currently obsessed with intensity, masculinity and dominance. Your performances often carry physical strength but emotional vulnerability, too. What kind of African man are you trying to represent onscreen?
Every story has different characters. It is never up to me to determine the nature of the person I am trying to play on screen. My job as an actor is to stay true to the character and how it ties to the story. And that can take so many different forms.

You have moved from reality TV star to actor, producer, conversations, box office conversations and cultural conversations. What do you think people still misunderstand about your intelligence or ambition?
I honestly do not feel misunderstood with regard to my intelligence or ambition. A lot of people witnessed the beginning of the journey and have seen what it has become thus far. I guess it’s just curiosity about where eventually all of this will lead. I have been very intentional and authentic on my journey, and I believe people see that clearly.

In many ways, your generation of actors grew online. Every marriage moment, parenting moment or career move becomes public discussion. Has fame made it harder for you to protect intimacy and genuine happiness?

I prioritise happiness for myself and my loved ones. I believe happiness is a mindset. Fame does make it somewhat difficult or slightly impossible to live a private life. I knew what I was signing up for. So while I’m here, I plan to stay true to myself and enjoy the journey. I live a very normal life regardless of the fame. I do not put myself under any of the pressures that come with fame and popularity. That makes it easier to be happy

You once lived a structured corporate life with salaries and predictability. Now you work in an industry built on uncertainty and reinvention. What has success taught you about money, fear and survival?
Financial literacy has always been a strong part of my growing up and adulthood. More than anything, I see the importance of being financially savvy and knowledgeable with the way income is structured in the creative space. In simpler terms, you don’t spend all you earn, invest and prepare for the calm seasons. Reinvention, expansion or breaking new ground will require investment that majorly has to come from you. So yes. Save and invest wisely.

You have had a remarkable run, from AMVCA and AMAA wins to Berlinale Talents and major box office success. When you look at all that recognition, how do you keep your hunger alive without letting awards define your sense of worth as an actor?
I don’t feel like I have scratched the surface with my talent and career path. I’m still very fresh in it all. I love film, and I really love to tell compelling stories. That keeps my urge to work very much alive. The awards are nice and appreciated when they come, but nothing beats the satisfaction of a beautiful story well told. And that gives the win. Which, in my books, is emotions from the audience. The fact that you can make them feel something
What does a perfect day look like for Tobi Bakre when nobody needs anything from you?

I start my day with prayers. Working out. And spending all of the day with close family and friends without any sad events or news about the country or fellow citizens, and also earning passive income while at it.

You are now a husband, father and one of Nollywood’s bankable faces. What part of the old Tobi did marriage and fatherhood force you to quit?

I didn’t have to quit any part of myself. I only had to adjust a few things to fit my new reality. I have always been family-oriented. I just had to learn that the dynamic of being a husband is different from being a son or sibling. Every part of that process has been interesting and beautiful.

When people write the full story of Tobi Bakre years from now, what do you hope they say you changed about celebrity culture, Nollywood or modern African masculinity?
I can’t predetermine or think of what my journey will change in celebrity culture, Nollywood or modern masculinity, but I sure hope it is a lot of positive things. I remain very true to who I am. I put my best into all that I do. I don’t set out to be an exemplary human being; I only try to be a better version of myself by that day. And the world is open to a lot of the transitions in our lives, and I hope people find hope and inspiration from my journey.