Dipo Ola: "People who are the loudest really should be quiet"

Dipo Ola had a great phone call recently. 

The actor was on his daily walk when he called his friend Marc. "It was a real high. It’s making me remember how smaller gestures have big impacts." 

We spoke to Ola about new show We Hunt Together, his hatred of olives – "Top five worst tasting foods of all time" – and his contempt for the 'Rise and Grinders', the people shaming those not using lockdown as a daily quest for self-improvement. "They’re just trying to use people as cash cows."

So yeah, kick back and get through this whatever way feels right to you. 

Shoutout to Ola's parents – both workers on the NHS. Hopefully the family will be reunited sooner rather than later. 

And shoutout to olives – sorry, Dipo, but they're great. 

Life

What upcoming project(s) are you most excited about?

We Hunt Together dropping in this month. I mean, I’ve read the script but I wanna see how it all plays out and what our detectives got up to.

What is your proudest professional accomplishment?

To date, playing opposite Dave Morrissey on Inside No.9. Such a great show to be apart of, plus he was the Governor on the Walking Dead and I’m a big fan of the show so it was fun to geek on that with my brothers.

If you could change one thing about your career, what would it be?

My career is only just kicking off I wouldn’t wanna change it just yet! We’ll do this interview again when I decide to tell the world I’m 40 and I can tell you then? 

What do you hope to achieve that you haven’t yet?

To star in something I’ve written/created and for that production to be a success, which it will be!

Outside of your family, who is / was your biggest inspiration?

My best friend Nap. He works in tech and he’s also an amateur boxer but he has this insatiable drive for self improvement that I love and try to bring as much to my creative process and my life in general. We want to be like each other so we never settle!

Tell us something nobody knows about you…

I hate olives. Top five worst tasting foods of all time.

Lockdown

How are you finding lockdown?

Peaks and troughs. It’s weird, I mean history shows us these times have always come and gone but you never really think you’ll be a part of it.

I’m just trying to keep some sort of structure and not do much clock watching or counting the days.

That said I do keep forgetting which day it is.

Best thing about lockdown?

Besides the NHS??

I think connecting or reconnecting with people. You kinda find out who you turn to and whose company you enjoy and I think that’s a nice thing.

I was feeling a bit spaced, so went on my government mandated walk of the day and I spoke to my friend Marc the whole time on the phone and it was a real high. It’s making me remember how smaller gestures have big impacts.

Yes the high of booking a job is amazing but in the grand scheme of things, a really nice phone call with someone can really be a game changer.

Worst thing about lockdown?

The ‘Rise and Grinders’. The people who are shaming people for not coming out of this isolation period with a skill or a new language or a money making business. They’re just trying to use people as cash cows and it’s gross.

In my experience with the ‘hustle’, people who are the loudest really should be quiet.

Also to all you militant sunbathers out there, God is watching and She’s taking names...

Top tip for surviving lockdown?

You gotta do you, don’t forget about other people but do take time.

If you wanna eat, eat. If you wanna exercise, exercise.

Don’t feel like you have to do house/family movie nights etc because someone wants you to and you don’t have to explain yourself.

Do whatever you need to do to make sure you’re healthy and happy when we start to reintegrate.

If you could be locked down with one person, alive or dead, who would it be?

I wouldn’t wanna take someone away from their family and I definitely wouldn’t wanna bring someone back to life for this mess. So I’ll ride it solo!

What are you most looking forward to doing once lockdown is over?

Giving everyone I love a big squeeze, at a nice restaurant with good music, food and drinks...oh and going to the gym, I missed those sounds...then I’ll be going to see my parents who both work within the NHS and just having some really nice family time.

We Hunt Together starts Wednesday 27 May at 10pm on Alibi.