Today we’d like to introduce you to Shalom C. Obiago.
Hi Shalom, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was born in Atlanta, then soon after I was sent to Africa to live with my dad. After a few years there, I came back to the U.S. to live with my mom. I was raised by a single mother in a Nigerian household in Lithonia, GA. Being raised in a Nigerian household meant that my only viable career option was to become a doctor– so that is what I pursued. I wasn’t fully introduced to acting and filmmaking until early high school when I attended Dekalb School of the Arts (DSA) and studied Drama and Film Production; and even then, I only attended DSA because it was the #2 school in the state for academics.
From DSA, I went to an Ivy League school, where I ultimately studied Communications and Data Analytics and Cinema and Media Studies. After a few years of fighting with my mom about no longer wanting to pursue medicine, I found myself feeling lost and confused about what direction to go. I felt out of place in the Ivy League environment because I didn’t want what everyone else wanted. But amidst all the confusion and scrambling for a major, I asked myself, “What has been the most consistent source of peace throughout all of this?” And the answer was my love for acting and telling stories. That is when I decided to pursue entertainment full force. I decided NOT to leave Penn and instead leverage my Ivy League degree to get me into the right spaces. I ended up securing jobs at Monami Productions and BET Networks, working in LA, getting an agent, then a manager, booking some network projects including a recurring role and a series regular. It has been a blessing!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
When I decided to take acting seriously, I was still at University of Pennsylvania. I was taking a full-time student workload at an Ivy League that had little to do with my desired career while going to acting classes and auditions in my free time. It was a lot, and I wasn’t involved in the social mix as much. I still had to work, too.
Add on the cultural pressure I faced from home, I was constantly conflicted. But I kept showing up and had faith in myself and my passion. Things got better when I graduated with honors May 2021, but this was only the beginning of my career. I started getting deeper into the Hollywood scene, with my materials being seen by top casting directors and being considered for hit shows.
But as actors, facing rejection constantly is expected. And rejection most times isn’t a “no” it’s just a *never hear back from casting*. It’s a mentally overwhelming practice but something we have to learn to overcome. But again, I just keep showing up; to every class, every audition, and every callback. And trust that my work will do the talking.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a Nigerian American actor and filmmaker and one of my biggest goals is to use cinema and performance to help bridge the gap between Africa and the world; create a more culturally connected world. I’ve booked a few dope projects but none are actually out yet, so technically I’m not known in my industry for anything yet, haha. But stay tuned. I’m most proud of, however, my ability to inspire people even from my position now.
One thing that sets me apart is this concept I have lived by: Do Whatever You Can, with Whatever You Have, Wherever You Are. Read that again. My Ivy League education played a role in my series of regular booking four months after I graduated. You never NEED to be in a specific place or HAVE a specific thing to achieve what you want. Take note of where you are now. And recognize where you want to be. Then be resourceful, be curious, and have faith in yourself to find a way to get where you want to be. Trust me, EVERYTHING is much more connected than you think.
Also, I am driven in a way that supersedes simple motivation. In the gym, in my career, with anything I pursue. I simply cannot be stopped.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Most people probably don’t know that I am also a full-time management consultant. And I also work for a major network (I won’t say here, haha) in their Scripted Programming department where I cover scripts and decide whether or not the team should consider it. Pretty awesome. I do a lot, but most people think I’m just acting!
I have a YouTube channel, and I am currently working on a docu-series called “Actors in the Offseason”. I am also in development for a Nollywood film to honor my dad’s legacy who passed away in December 2021. He was a popular Nollywood actor and legend.
I also have a production company, IKEM Entertainment, and I take on clients.
Oh, and I know how to salsa dance– like pretty well. I know Mambo, Bachata, Cha-Cha…and a little more too.
Contact Info:
- Email: shalom@shalomobiago.com
- Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm10943597/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shalomobi/?hl=en
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/shalomobiago?lang=en
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSIqk7HZMTtfsjK7QE-LG0A
Image Credits
Alex D. Rogers Zachary I. Smith
