Actor and senior pastor of The Fountain of Life Church, Jimmy Odukoya, has spoken about the importance of chasing excellence in everything you do, citing his iconic role in the Hollywood movie The Woman King as an example.
Odukoya shared the experience during a recent sermon, where he described what it felt like sitting among global film giants while discussing acting, purpose, and authenticity.
Recalling a key moment on set, he said, “For my role in The Woman King, I’m in a room, I’m in the middle, Viola Davis is on my left, Gina Prince-Bythewood is there, and we are having a conversation about acting, motivation and our backgrounds.”
He explained that Viola Davis’ presence alone was intimidating, noting her rare status in the entertainment world. “Viola Davis is an EGOT. That means she has won everything there is to win. She has won an Emmy, an Oscar, a Grammy and a Tony. Very few people have done that. She went to Juilliard, studied creative arts and has a solid body of work,” he said.
Odukoya admitted that he initially questioned his place in the room. “Here’s me, who just fell into acting. My training was from the Holy Ghost. Where is my agent? Jesus Christ,” he said, drawing laughter from the congregation.
He said as the discussion continued, he began to share his thoughts about character motivation and decision-making. “I’m talking and they are nodding their heads, and I’m asking myself, what am I saying? What is she writing?” he added.
According to him, the turning point came during a conversation about authenticity, especially as it related to his role as a Yoruba king. Odukoya played a ruler representing the Oyo Empire, but the character’s original name raised concerns.
“Speaking on authenticity, my character represented the Oyo Kingdom, the Alaafin of Oyo. But the character’s name was Okea Abua. I said I cannot play this character because I’m a Yoruba boy and my people will not forgive me if I use that name. That is not a Yoruba name,” he said.
He explained that the director asked for an alternative. “She asked, what would you rather change it to? I had already thought about it the night before, and I said Oba Ade, which means the king’s crown,” he said.
Odukoya revealed that the suggestion was immediately accepted. “She said she liked it and made the call. From that moment, the scripts and everything were changed. His name became Oba Ade,” he said.
The actor said the experience reinforced his belief in speaking up and pursuing excellence. “All through my years in acting, I had a habit of speaking up when things were not right. Sometimes they said I was doing too much, but I was always chasing excellence,” he said.
He added that small opportunities helped prepare him for bigger platforms. “Do not despise humble beginnings. Every beginning is a learning. It is a platform for where God is taking you,” Odukoya said.
Jimmy Odukoya gained international recognition for his role as Oba Ade in The Woman King, which was released in 2022 and starred Viola Davis. The role earned him nominations, including Best Actor in a Comedy at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and Breakout Actor at the Scream Awards.
