Nollywood actress and producer Tierny Olalere has opened up about the extreme personal sacrifices she made to build her career in the competitive movie industry, revealing how she sold precious gifts and accumulated heavy debt just to keep producing films.
In a heartfelt interview on the Conversations With Kenni podcast hosted by Kehinde Ajose, Tierny shared the raw realities behind her journey, including financial struggles, family tensions, and unwavering parental support. She said:
“I’ve done a lot. I once had to sell my gold chain which was a gift — I hate to sell my gifts. I went into a big debt. Till now, I still have some money tied down into films.”
Tierny revealed that despite formal training in film production, the harsh economics of Nollywood often force producers to use personal funds.
“I went to film school where I learnt how to be a producer. My HOD would tell me then that as a producer, it’s bad enough to use your money to make films… But in Nollywood, you need to push yourself to your limits.”
She holds professional certificates from prestigious institutions including TAFTA, Mo Abudu’s school, and EbonyLife Creative Academy, and continues pitching to investors while also producing for other filmmakers and running her YouTube channel.
The actress also disclosed a bold move from her university days:
“I started my first business with my school fees. My mum will only find out if she watches this interview.”
The business later failed, forcing her to hustle harder to revive it.
Tierny praised her parents’ remarkable support, especially considering her mother is a pastor who initially struggled with certain aspects of acting.
“Normally, acting doesn’t work well with my mother’s beliefs in particular because she’s a pastor. Imagine her daughter wearing certain clothes online or in a film kissing someone else. But I’m very sure God must have spoken to her to just let me be.”
She expressed deep gratitude and a strong desire to repay her parents’ support and sacrifices:
“There was a time I was in debt and I saw them put something up for sale to raise the money for me. I really want to make it up with them. They can’t die till they’ve watched my film from the front row of a large auditorium.”