A lot is said about making it at a young age. For many people, it is a dream that they have for their children and a desire they wish had come through during their own childhood. But, there is also the other side of childhood success, the sacrifices that come with it. Nollywood child actress Sharon Ifedi is opening up about some of those sacrifices.
During a new interview with The Sun, Sharon opened up about how she got into acting, her plans for tertiary education, and some of the sacrifices she’s had to make as a breadwinner in her family providing for her siblings and herself. Here’s what Sharon said.
Speaking about how she ventured into Nollywood, Sharon Ifedi said:
I started acting when I was seven or eight years old. I went for auditions with my mom and from there I started acting a scene or two. They liked my performance and started calling me for movie jobs. I’ve been into music as a child before venturing into entertainment fully. So, I have been facing the camera ever before I started acting. I came to Asaba in 2016 and started acting that same year. I was into children’s music when I was in Abia State. Then I was a bit nervous because that was the first time I did something that was a bit reasonable.
Speaking about if she planned to become an actress, Sharon said:
No, I didn’t. I planned to be a doctor from childhood but I didn’t know I would be an actress today. Now, I realize that studying medicine would not have been my thing.
Speaking about how she combined secondary school with acting, Sharon said:
I’m done with secondary school. But it wasn’t easy because there were some classes that I skipped, so I ended up staying for extra lessons. In the class, we were free with one another. Even if other students didn’t see me as an actress, my classmates saw me as that normal person that came to school just like every other person.
Speaking about her plans for education after secondary school, Sharon said:
Medicine is really not my thing. I did art subjects in school, not science. But when I gain admission into university, I will like to read Mass Communication. I have always practiced it in school, reading fast and acting. Acting is all about reading things and saying them out without using a book. So, I think Mass Communication is the thing for me.
Speaking about some of the sacrifices she’s had to endure as a breadwinner for her family, Sharon said:
I used to hate the fact that I had to wake up early, leave my siblings at home, go for work and come back late at night. So, it was really stressful. Now, that’s not really a big challenge anymore because I’m used to it; and I like the person that I’ve become and would still be. However, my challenge now is the roles that I’ve not played, because as an actress you need to be versatile. Acting has denied me of walking freely on the street. I think every celebrity can relate to that. The way my sister goes out to buy things, I cannot do that. Acting has denied me that freedom, and I don’t really have many friends. But then, acting has provided for my siblings and me. It’s way of having income aside from having passion for it.
While I know Sharon has gotten used to it and made peace with her new reality, there is still something to me that is heartbreaking about such a young woman having to deal with the harsh realities of this capitalist world at such a young age. What do you think about what Sharon Ifedi said, and also what do you think about children who start working and taking on responsibility for family at such a young age?
