Nollywood actor Ray Emodi has explained the real reason behind his temporary break from acting, revealing that years of nonstop work left him physically and mentally exhausted.
Speaking in a video shared on YouTube, the actor apologised to his fans for previously announcing his exit from the movie industry, saying he never imagined he would reach a point where he needed to step away from acting.
According to Emodi, he worked continuously from 2017 until the end of last year without taking vacations or getting adequate rest. He disclosed that he appeared in more than 300 productions, including feature films, television series, and short films, during that period.
“I acted since 2017 till last year ending. That’s about 300 productions… Eight years, no vacations, no rest. I was tired. If you do something too much, you get tired. I needed a break to find the love for acting again,” he said.
The actor emphasised that acting remains his first love, noting that he studied the craft professionally and even earned a master’s degree in acting for film.
Emodi admitted that his earlier decision to quit acting and focus entirely on music was made out of frustration and exhaustion. He said he later realised the announcement had disappointed many of his supporters.
“I have high respect for acting… Waking up one day to say I’m not acting again felt like I swindled you guys. I’m sorry for playing with your emotions,” he added.
He explained that his passion has always been to inspire people through his creative work rather than simply make money. Going forward, he said he plans to return to acting but with a healthier work-life balance to prevent another burnout.
Earlier this year, Emodi announced he was leaving the film industry, citing traumatic experiences on movie sets and stating that he intended to focus on his music career.
