In an in-depth chat, she gives fans an insight into the journey behind the woman we know today.
Sharing the cover the brand wrote, “Nicknamed “The Silent Tsunami,” Nse Ikpe-Etim (@nseikpeetim) is an actor who interprets her role and delivers them effortlessly. As an all-round actor who has grown over the years and made her mark in the film industry, she has had to make several decisions to become the woman she is today.”
“To get to this point in my life, it took years of unlearning that which we are conditioned to believe, relearning new things, accepting people for who they are, and appreciating the little things. In my career, it took never thinking I know it all. Constant learning is key. To be this version of me, it’s taken all my life,” Ikpe-Etim opens up about discovering herself.
“I am a bibliophile. I am one person who believes that you only stop learning once you die so I am open to learning from even babies. I soak up almost everything without judgment, but then I’ve mastered the art of filtering and differentiating between what truly aids my growth and what diminishes it.
My moment of awakening came after I was nominated for different awards even when I thought I did not deserve them. That, combined with the joy acting gave me, was all I needed to know that this was what I wanted to do.”
On mental health: “It’s funny that you ask about mental health seeing that it’s a topic that is not regularly spoken about in Nigeria or maybe Africa as a whole. Taking from a tweet I saw from Jemima Osunde recently, we all need therapists. And that’s like saying if you have malaria, you treat it by seeing a doctor. Right? So, I guess that’s how to handle it. When I feel depressed, I also change my diet or look for a safe haven which is mostly meditation for me.
I gave a TEDx talk a while ago and I started with a slide of happy faces. Guess what the title of the talk was? This is what mental health looks like. And that’s the truth. Depression does not start with a morose face. We all mask it with smiles and laughter which becomes increasingly difficult when you are on my side of the divide.
Every time I witness a storyteller’s dream die simply because the project did not get the required support, it hits pretty low. But as always, I remain hopeful.”
On equality and feminism: “I am a feminist. I believe in equality and this is what we ask for. We ask that a nation like ours doesn’t throw us under the bus because we are deemed lesser than the man, we are all humans and deserve equal respect. Lawmakers owe us this and so much more.”
See the rest of the interview here!
Credits
Photographer – @kunmi.owopetu
Stylist – @yolandaokereke
Creative Director – @misteradeyemi
Outfits – @ladybeellionaire_luxury
Hair Stylist – @onaturalsbeauty
Makeup Artist – @houseoftuns
Jewellery – @pandora_west_africa 📎 The key is : Learn how to BE HAPPY BY YOURSELF FIRST. Because a human being that is happy on his/her own will never settle to be miserable with someone else. When you find happiness on your own then you will be able to spread it and share it with someone else. ... CRITIC ALSO 🖋️ spill TEA ☕ Easy on Shade 💣
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