10 Things about Ito Aghayere
With Nigerian parents, how did you convince them that you would leave law school in pursuit of acting and how did you initially get your start?
I think the only thing I really had to convince my parents of, was the simple fact that I was willing to accept the consequences of my decision. Sounds heavy, but it was the most liberating moment to know that they were both willing to let me choose my own path without guilting or shaming me, despite my desire for a career completely opposite to the one they had envisioned. I’m sure it helped them to know that I would be footing the bill to pay my own way through grad school and not depending on them to ease the pressure. Plus, I guess they trusted that the “immigrant kid hustle” they instilled in me would be more than enough to get me through.
Which actors body of work has impressed you and has had the most impact on your career thus far?
Allison Janney and Regina King are two of my favorite artists. They obviously have very different personas, but they are both wonderfully athletic in their multifaceted talents which allows them to dance between different genres and a broad spectrum of characters, in vastly different stories. Their depth, specificity and chameleonic ability to disappear into their characters continues to inspire me as an actor.
The landscape of television seems to be changing in the right direction. More than ever, we’re seeing diverse cast. How does it feel to be a part of this change?
It feels like it’s about time. Our industry works best when we represent the world, and I believe the world could be a better place if we brought more experiences, more perspective to the proverbial table. Everyone benefits from that infusion of diversity into the community and into the stories we tell about the people around us and the society we live in. We need more stories that haven’t been told about and by the people who haven’t traditionally had the opportunity and space to tell them.
Let’s talk about your latest project, Carol’s Second Act on CBS. How were you first introduced to the series and what was it about the script that made you excited to jump on board?
In the middle of auditioning for a different role, casting stopped me and asked if I wouldn’t mind trying on the role of Maya, a part I didn’t even know about until that moment because I hadn’t received the full script. Within a few seconds of looking it over, I knew who Maya was, and I couldn’t wait to walk back into the casting office like the unapologetic, overachieving badass, lady boss I knew she was.
On the show, you play the role of Dr. Maya Jacobs. What can you tell us about her personality?
Maya is a classic enneagram 1. She’s a perfectionist in denial who often wonders why it’s so hard for her interns to go one day without accidentally throwing an ultrasound machine down the stairs.
For those who have not yet tuned in, how does Maya fit in with the rest of the medical professionals and what do you enjoy most about bringing her character to life?
Maya is the engine of the hospital! She’s the boss and de facto “chaos-wrangler” tasked with keeping the interns in line. The best thing about playing her is getting to be “the grown up in the room” and make a live studio audience laugh at our crazy antics every Thursday night when we tape a new episode. Tape nights with the whole cast are electric and so much fun!
What can viewers expect to see from Maya and the rest of the cast in this first season?
There may also be more than one ultrasound machine destroyed by a set of stairs this season… All kinds of shenanigans are in store for Maya and her interns!
If you weren’t working on your career as an actress, what would you do in place of it? Would it be law or something else?
My second act would probably be working as a librarian to feed my book addiction. Or maybe, I could finally start or work for an organization that helps kids (without the means to escape the concrete jungle they live in) get out into the wild on the weekends and hike and make friends and experience nature.
When it comes to fashion, which designers and styles appeal most to your personality?
Raisa Vanessa, Alex Perry, Ronald Vanderkemp, Giambattista Valli, Oscar de la Renta, and Rodarte are just a few of the designers I’m obsessed with. I love wild colors and vivid shapes mixed with soft, whimsical silhouettes.
We look forward to seeing more of you on Carol’s Second Act. What other projects do you have coming up?
For the next few weeks, my schedule is jam packed shooting the full season of Carol’s Second Act! Although I can’t say exactly what comes next. Right now, there are a few projects on the horizon that I would be excited to be a part of! Both projects are adaptations of books I absolutely love: Jojo Moyes’ Giver of Stars being adapted by Ol Parker / Monumental and Chris Cleave’s Little Bee being adapted by Kathleen Robertson / Red Om Films. Jojo’s book spotlights the courage and gumption of 5 pioneering women who dared to bring the written word to poor rural communities in Kentucky as amateur librarians. Cleave’s Little Bee is a coming of age story about a Nigerian immigrant girl who risks everything to escape her violent past, only to find it catch up to her in an unlikely encounter with a woman she has met once before.
Twitter: @ItoAghayere
Instagram: @ItoAghayere
Photos: Courtesy of CBS