Folake Olowofoyeku
Born (1983-10-26) 26 October 1983
Nigeria
Other namesThe Folake
Occupation(s)Actress, musician
Years active2002–present
Parents
RelativesToby Foyeh (brother)
Websitethefolake.com

Folake Olowofoyeku Listenⓘ (born 26 October 1983)[1][2] is a Nigerian actress and musician.[3] She currently stars in the Chuck Lorre CBS sitcom[4] Bob Hearts Abishola.[2][5]

Early life, family and education

Olowofoyeku was born in Nigeria to Nigerian politician Babatunji Olowofoyeku and Felicia Olowofoyeku. She is the youngest of 20 children.[1] One of her older brothers is the musician and guitarist Toby Foyeh. Olowofoyeku was named after the first female Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Folake Solanke.[6] Olowofoyeku has spoken about the importance of names in Yoruba culture. Her first name means to use non-monetary wealth to pamper, and her surname means a rich man uses a chieftaincy title to top off their wealth.[7]

She was raised on Victoria Island in Lagos, Nigeria,[6] and also spent time in London.

Olowofoyeku attended Igbinedion Education Centre, a Montessori boarding school in Benin City. She then transferred to Vivian Fowler Memorial College for Girls in Ikeja, Lagos and then attended Oxbridge Tutorial College.[8]

In 2001 at the age of 18 years old, Olowofoyeku emigrated to the United States, where she came to live with her sister.[2]

Although initially studying economics in anticipation of becoming an attorney, Olowofoyeku received a B.A.[9] in theater from City College of New York.[10] While she was a student at City College, she played NCAA Division III college basketball for the CCNY Beavers.[1]

Career

After graduating from college, Olowofoyeku got her start in off-Broadway theater in New York City.[11]

Olowofoyeku appeared in guest starring roles on television shows that include 30 Rock, How to Get Away with Murder, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Modern Family, Westworld, and White Collar.

Olowofoyeku starred in the 2017 film Death Race 2050 as Minerva Jefferson.[11] The film is a sequel to the 1975 cult film, Death Race 2000, and was shot in Lima, Peru.[3]

Also in 2017, Olowofoyeku appeared opposite Gaby Hoffmann in the last season of the TV series Transparent, as her love interest, Lyfe.[12]

Since September 2019, Olowofoyeku co-stars opposite American comedian Billy Gardell in the Chuck Lorre CBS sitcom, Bob Hearts Abishola, which Lorre created with British-Nigerian comedian Gina Yashere – who writes for the show and plays Olowofoyeku's character's best friend, Kemi.[13] Bob Hearts Abishola premiered in 2019 and is the first American sitcom to feature a Nigerian family.[14][15] The sitcom is currently on its fourth season and has been renewed for a fifth season on January 25th, 2023.

Music

Olowofoyeku plays Afro-beat electronic music under the moniker The Folake. She plays guitar and piano. She has also worked as a sound engineer.[6] Olowofoyeku has a diploma in audio engineering from the Institute of Audio Research.

In 2013, Olowofoyeku appeared in two David Bowie videos as his bass guitar player: "The Stars (Are Out Tonight)" and "The Next Day".[7][16][17] Both videos were directed by Floria Sigismondi. Tilda Swinton portrays Bowie's wife in "The Stars", and "Next Day" features actors Gary Oldman and Marion Cotillard. Olowofoyeku said that director Sigismondi and Bowie worked with the band so they could learn their parts musically in rehearsal, as well as portray themselves in the videos.[7]

Personal life

Olowofoyeku speaks fluent Yoruba and English.[2][14] She resides in Los Angeles. She is a big fan of science fiction and the work of Octavia Butler, and counts Butler's 1980 book, Wild Seed, as a favorite.[2]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2003 Protesters Felice Falafafull Video
2006 When They Could Fly Bella Short
2008 10,000 A.D.: The Legend of a Black Pearl Plaebian 3 Video
Staged Archive Judge Short
In Search of Myster Ey Waitress
2009 The Child Within Omo
2011 The Beaver Nurse
2012 Hellbenders Serena Venter
2014 Gideon's Cross Mona Madugu (Nigerian Boss) Voice, short
Kepler X-47 Alien Sentinel Short
2016 Female Fight Squad Winter
2017 Death Race 2050 Minerva Jefferson Video
2018 Central & Broadway Leon Short
The Bride - Short
Armed Frida

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2005 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Amina Asante Episode: "Night"
2010 30 Rock Jamaican Nurse #2 Episode: "Anna Howard Shaw Day"
Law & Order: Criminal Intent Princess Timiro Episode: "Loyalty: Part 1 & 2"
White Collar Teller Episode: "By the Book" & "Unfinished Business"
2011 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Adisa Episode: "Scorched Earth"
2014 Modern Family Ayoola Episode: "Marco Polo"
2016 How to Get Away with Murder Desk Nurse Episode: "There's My Baby"
Westworld Surveillance Tech Episode: "Dissonance Theory"
2017 Colony Redhat Episode: "Panopticon"
The Gifted Scar Episode: "rX"
Transparent Lyfe Recurring cast: season 4
2019 The Filth Charlotte Episode: "Filthy Bro Day"
2019-2024 Bob Hearts Abishola Abishola Wheeler Main cast

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
2018 World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth
2019 Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series - Episodes I, II, and III Priestess

Music videos

Year Title Artist Notes
2013 The Stars (Are Out Tonight) David Bowie Bassist
The Next Day

Theater

  • 2004: Trojan Women by Euripides at Classical Theatre of Harlem (2 April 2004)[18]
  • 2009: Punk Roc/Love Song (Horse Trade Theater Group) at Kraine Theater (30 September – 3 October 2009)[19]

Discography

  • 2012: The.Folake! (self-released)[20]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Bob Hearts Abishola Cast: Folake Olowofoyeku". Bob Hearts Abishola. CBS. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Bentley, Jean (23 September 2019). "Meet 'Bob Hearts Abishola' Star Folake Olowofoyeku". The Hollywood Reporter.
  3. 1 2 "Folake Olowofoyeku". Naluda. 23 January 2017.
  4. ↑ Goldberg, Lesley; Fienberg, Daniel; Lorre, Chuck (20 September 2019). "'TV's Top 5': NBC Streaming Plans Revealed; Plus Chuck Lorre on His Comedy Empire" (Audio interview, starts at 30:52). The Hollywood Reporter.
  5. ↑ Earl Nurse. "How the Nigerian star of 'Bob Hearts Abishola' is changing the rules of American network television". CNN. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  6. 1 2 3 Italie, Leanne (21 September 2019). "Folake Olowofoyeku hearts life in the television comedy lane". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press.
  7. 1 2 3 Hewitt, Zoey; Olowofoyeku, Folake (7 December 2016). "Folake Olowofoyeku Interview" (Video interview). AfterBuzz TV – via YouTube.
  8. ↑ Saduwa, Patience (19 December 2016). "'I was excited on my first day on set'". The Nation. Nigeria.
  9. ↑ Folake Olowofoyeku - Bob Hearts Abishola Cast Member, retrieved 24 July 2020
  10. ↑ Barron, Rob (February 2017). "From Campus Stages to the 'Big Time'". ccnyalumni.org. City College of New York Alumni.
  11. 1 2 Frieman, Richie (6 January 2017). "Folake Olowofoyeku". PensEyeViewNew.com.
  12. ↑ DiLoreto, Michaela R. (7 October 2017). "Crossing Boundaries, Tackling Borders, and Challenging the Past: Season Four of 'Transparent' Does It All". The Harvard Crimson.
  13. ↑ Framke, Caroline (23 September 2019). "TV Review: 'Bob Hearts Abishola' From Chuck Lorre". Variety.
  14. 1 2 Udodiong, Inemesit (17 May 2019). "Folake Olowofoyeku: Nigerian actress plays lead role in new CBS show - here's why this is such a big deal". Pulse Nigeria.
  15. ↑ Dowling, Amber (7 June 2019). "From economics student to actor, Folake Olowofoyeku may be this season's break-out star" (Includes video interview). The Loop.
  16. ↑ Bowie, David (26 February 2013). "David Bowie - The Stars (Are Out Tonight) (Official Video)". YouTube.
  17. ↑ Bowie, David (8 May 2013). "David Bowie - The Next Day (Explicit)" – via YouTube.
  18. ↑ Willis, John A.; Hodges, Ben, eds. (2006). Theatre World. Vol. 60, 2003-2014. New York: Applause. p. 179. ISBN 978-1-557-83651-9. OCLC 657148290.
  19. ↑ Hodges, Ben; Denny, Scott, eds. (2010). Theatre World. Vol. 66, 2009-2010. Montclair, NJ: Applause Theatre & Cinema Books. p. 289. ISBN 978-1-423-49271-9. OCLC 609541647.
  20. ↑ Olowofoyeku, Folake (2012). "♫ The.Folake! - The.Folake!". CD Baby.
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