Yvonne Jegede Says Her Father Once Rejected Acting Career

Before Yvonne Jegede became one of Nollywood’s familiar faces, she had to fight for something many African creatives understand too well — convincing family that entertainment is real work.

According to Sunday Sun, the Nigerian actress, filmmaker and entrepreneur revealed that her father initially did not see acting as a noble profession. Years later, that same father now proudly tells people that he is Yvonne Jegede’s dad.

For Jegede, the attraction to entertainment started at home. She had a late uncle who was an actor, and seeing a celebrity visit their family house left a strong impression on her as a child.

Her deeper step into the industry came through filmmaker Charles Novia, who helped guide her in the early days. But the first spark, she said, came from watching her uncle’s world up close.

Like many parents of that generation, Jegede’s family wanted a more traditional path. Medicine, law, engineering and other “safe” professions were the dream for many households, while entertainment was still viewed with suspicion.

Jegede admitted that it was difficult to convince her father to support her acting dreams. She also described herself as a rebellious child at the time, which made the battle even more intense for both sides.

But the story has changed. Today, her father no longer hides from her career. Instead, he celebrates it.

Her first screen appearance came in Blaze of Glory, a TV series produced by Alpha Vision, then owned by Tajudeen Adepetu. Jegede played a non-speaking character in one scene, but that small role opened the door to everything that followed.

She later moved into film production in 2014 after encouragement from producer ChinneyLove Eze. Jegede had just returned from school and was trying to find her way back into Nollywood when Eze pushed her to produce her own film.

That decision helped her grow from actress to filmmaker. Jegede went on to win Best Dual Performance for OJ Sisters alongside Uche Jombo, while another project she produced and co-executive produced with Marilyn Campbell won nine awards at the TIF Festival Awards.