‘It’s distracting, limiting’ — Ini Edo speaks on dealing with fame

Ini Edo says she considers being famous to be distracting, limiting, and more of a disadvantage.

The 40-year-old film star spoke on the latest episode of her fellow actress Lilian Afegbai’s vlog.

Edo argued that fame truly has its advantages but can also be “depriving”.

She said a media house once told her that news about her was profiting even when detrimental to her brand.

“Fame will open doors for you, there is an exciting and downside part to it. The downside of it is you don’t get to really do what you want to do,” the actress said.

“These days it comes with the fact that some people think they know your life. For somebody like me, I think the world feels [like] they know everything about me.

“I literally grow up in the house of the public. Back in the day, we use to have magazines and newspapers. None of the blogs. And you won’t have time to defend yourself.

“I remember coming out of my house and there was a newspaper stand that literally all the magazines on it had my pictures with all kinds of stories.

“So I remember going to this particular media house to meet one of the publishers. The guy said to me that there are so many celebrities whose pictures we can’t put on our front cover. If we do, we don’t make sales.

“So whether you give us a story or not, we will find a story about you because we need to make sales. I was amazed.”

Edo said fame, to her, has more disadvantages.

“Fame is kind of distracting from the main thing you wanted to do. For me, I find it more limiting so I could say the downside is a bit more than the upside,” she added.