That took years and years of me and one of my great mentors, Jerome Preston Bates, who actually just ended his run on broadway in Jitney. He was an understudy for John Douglas Thompson in that play. I got a lot of my studying done that way, aside from my initial training. It’s all about having fun and taking each experience as it comes. I want it to be like having the experience for the first time every time, and make new discoveries each time so it becomes a new experience.
U.G. Digital Mag: Do you see yourself doing more theater?
Tomiké Ogugua: I would love to do more theater. Right now, I’m riding this television wave. We have “Power” coming, and I’m looking forward to that. Its crazy because I ran into Omari last night at the Schomburg Library [Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture] here in Harlem. We’re just riding the television wave right now. I was just on “Blue Bloods” in March.
U.G. Digital Mag: How was that?
Tomiké Ogugua: It started with my audition. I just went in very confident. This is the experience of the industry. I went in very loose because I had been called in at least 8 or 9 times before. I knew the casting assistant, so I went in confident, and I ultimately got a call back. This time, I had to go in front of the executive producer, the director, and everybody. I just went in and had fun, and before I knew it, the entire room was cracking up laughing. Then I got word from my agent that I booked it. Will Estes and Vanessa Ray were wonderful to work with.
wonderful to work with. They are two of the regulars on the show. It’s a great environment to work in, and I’d love to get the opportunity to go back. It’s really a great show. That particular show was the 150th episode, and it was big. Several friends of mine from the New York community were in the same episode. I could not have been any more proud.
U.G. Digital Mag: Do you feel like you’re inflicting your Nigerian culture into your roles?
Tomiké Ogugua: You know what, it’s an interesting question. I would say yes because it’s in me. It’s something that is innate. I can’t escape it, even if I wanted to. It’s really the work ethic more than anything. I got that from watching my mother. I was raised in a single parent home. I watched my mom work two and three jobs to make ends meet, and that gave me a drive and desire to work hard toward any endeavor I wanted to undertake. If you want to talk in terms of characters, anytime I have the blessing to play an African or Caribbean character, I can drop an accent, and I know the mannerisms. I have fun with it.
U.G. Digital Mag: What are some of the other things everyone can look out for?
Tomiké Ogugua: I have a short film called “Driving Force” that was just screened at the Pan African Film Festival. It’s a story that you typically would not see written, and what Antoine Allen {the director} did with it was amazing. I had a great time shooting that. We had a wonderful cast. It was great. I have another short called “Ibrahim”, which is about a Nigerian singer in a situation he’s trying to get out of. That’s based in New York as well, and it was done with Adesola [Osakalumi], who also played “Fela” on Broadway. I’ll also work on a documentary later this year, and we’ll see what else comes down the pike…
shooting that. We had a wonderful cast. It was great. I have another short called “Ibrahim”, which is about a Nigerian singer in a situation he’s trying to get out of. That’s based in New York as well, and it was done with Adesola [Osakalumi], who also played “Fela” on Broadway. I’ll also work on a documentary later this year, and we’ll see what else comes down the pike…
U.G. Digital Mag: It’s amazing how hard you’re working. You’re doing a lot to move the culture forward.
Tomiké Ogugua: I appreciate it. We’re out here trying to make a difference. I want to use this platform to bring awareness of issues I care about, and spread love. We have so many crazy things happening in our society. We need more positivity, and more positive people to present these things. My goal is to be a light, give people hope, and inspire. I grew up in an environment where not everyone follows their dreams. In my community, most times I was uplifted. I made good grades, and then got a little rebellious in high school. There was always a feeling, though, in our community that I would always make something of myself, and that my siblings would as well. It’s all about trying to be an inspiration to spark the next generation to do what they need to do. That’s why I started giving back by doing theater in after school programs. I’m now looking to partner with organizations and do some more philanthropic things.
U.G. Digital Mag: That’s good. Talk about growing up in North Carolina, knowing you wanted to do this? I have a lot of family there.