Folake Olowofoyeku facts for kids

Folake Olowofoyeku (born on October 26, 1983) is a talented Nigerian actress and musician. She is best known for her starring role in the TV show Bob Hearts Abishola, a sitcom created by Chuck Lorre for CBS.

Early Life and Education

Folake Olowofoyeku was born in Nigeria. Her parents are Babatunji Olowofoyeku, who was a Nigerian politician, and Felicia Olowofoyeku. She is the youngest of 20 children in her family! One of her older brothers is the well-known musician and guitarist Toby Foyeh.

Folake was named after the first female Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Folake Solanke. Folake has shared that names are very important in the Yoruba culture. Her first name means "to pamper with non-money wealth." Her last name means "a rich man uses a chieftaincy title to complete their wealth."

She grew up on Victoria Island in Lagos, Nigeria. She also spent some time living in London.

Folake went to a Montessori boarding school called Igbinedion Education Centre in Benin City. Later, she attended Vivian Fowler Memorial College for Girls in Ikeja, Lagos, and then Oxbridge Tutorial College.

In 2001, when she was 18 years old, Folake moved to the United States. She lived there with her sister.

Even though she first studied economics and thought about becoming a lawyer, Folake discovered her passion for acting. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in theater from City College of New York. While she was a student there, she also played college basketball for the CCNY Beavers team.

Acting Career

After finishing college, Folake Olowofoyeku began her acting journey in New York City. She performed in plays that were not on Broadway, which is a great way for actors to start.

She appeared as a guest star in many popular TV shows. These include 30 Rock, How to Get Away with Murder, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Modern Family, Westworld, and White Collar.

In 2017, Folake starred in the movie Death Race 2050. She played the character Minerva Jefferson. This movie was filmed in Lima, Peru.

Also in 2017, she appeared in the final season of the TV series Transparent. She played the character Lyfe, who was a love interest for Gaby Hoffmann's character.

Since September 2019, Folake Olowofoyeku has played the main role of Abishola in the sitcom Bob Hearts Abishola. In this show, she acts alongside American comedian Billy Gardell. The show was created by Chuck Lorre and British-Nigerian comedian Gina Yashere. Gina Yashere also writes for the show and plays Abishola's best friend, Kemi.

Bob Hearts Abishola was the first American sitcom to feature a Nigerian family. The show was very popular and ran for five seasons. Its final season began airing in February 2024.

Music Career

Folake Olowofoyeku also makes music! She performs Afro-beat electronic music under the name The Folake. She is a talented musician who plays both the guitar and the piano. She has also worked as a sound engineer, which means she helps record and mix music. She has a special diploma in audio engineering from the Institute of Audio Research.

In 2013, Folake appeared in two music videos for the famous musician David Bowie. She played the bass guitar in his videos for "The Stars (Are Out Tonight)" and "The Next Day". Both videos were directed by Floria Sigismondi. Other famous actors like Tilda Swinton, Gary Oldman, and Marion Cotillard also appeared in these videos. Folake shared that working with David Bowie and the director was a great experience.

Personal Life

Folake Olowofoyeku is fluent in both the Yoruba language and English. She lives in Los Angeles, California. She is a big fan of science fiction stories and the books by author Octavia Butler. Her favorite book by Butler is Wild Seed, which was published in 1980.

Her nephew, Toluwalakin Olowofoyeku, was part of the Kugali team that created a Nigerian animated mini-series called Iwájú for Disney+. This series was released in February 2024.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video Games

Music Videos

Theater Performances

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

Discography

• 2012: The.Folake! (self-released)