Imani Okwuosa
Imani Okwuosa is an ambitious actress with a desire to achieve greatness on the stage. Hailing from Nigeria, she wasted no time in finding theater programs to help her realize her dreams. Thanks to Georgia State’s Interdisciplinary Studies degree, she is customizing her education to her specific interests and passions. Landing a starring role in “Rejuvenation,” a feature film produced on campus coming out this fall, solidified her decision to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.
Interview by Jordan Ferguson
When did you first know you wanted to become an actress?
I loved performing even before I moved to America. I didn’t really have the resources to do it back home because my school in Nigeria didn’t have a drama club or an acting program. Once I got here in 2019, my junior year of high school, I was 16 and I joined my theater class and I fell in love with it.
Georgia State wasn’t my first choice for college. Since I wanted to study acting, Los Angeles and New York City were my first choices. However, my parents didn’t want me to be out of state, considering I just came from Nigeria, and they didn’t want me to be too far away from home. I started looking at programs around the state and saw Georgia State’s program. When you think of GSU you don’t think of acting, but when I saw what all it has to offer, I was hooked. I believe I am here for a reason, and I have accomplished so much in my short time.
Tell me how you got the opportunity to work on “Rejuvenation.”
In my first year, I got an email from the college, a general email to all film and acting students, saying if you’re interested in this feature film produced by Tom Luse (“The Walking Dead”), you should sign up. I thought, “This is my chance.”
Before we did in-person auditions, we had to send in self-tapes. This was their way of cutting down the amount of people that would come in to audition. After a couple of months, I heard back and they said I’d been selected for the next round of in-person auditions. I walked in with my head high and gave them my all. I loved the process, and it took until late summer before they told us only 10 people had been selected for the class and I got the role of Trinity, the lead.
We worked the entire spring 2023 semester, 15 credit hours worth. I didn’t take any other classes and my hard work paid off. The project was invigorating, physically and emotionally. Working those eight-hour days every day for weeks, coming back day after day, being in every scene and having that emotional connection to the character was rewarding. I know that I can do it again. And I’m very excited for what’s to come. I’m happy that GSU gave me this opportunity very early. This experience validated and solidified my decision to pursue this as a profession.
Do you think any other university would have offered an opportunity like this?
No, I don’t believe so. I have personally experienced the unique approach of Georgia State’s programs. They encourage and motivate you to explore and audition for various roles that you think would fit you best.
This feature film stood out to me because it emphasized that you could bring whatever skills and resources you have, and together we can create something great. It’s not common, and it builds confidence in artists that they have something valuable to contribute. I didn’t have to follow a specific curriculum for two years before feeling ready for a role. Instead, I received support from my teachers and peers and was trusted to apply what I learned practically. As an acting major, I appreciated the opportunity to apply the skills I learned in my classes to my craft. The trust and support I received at GSU are what make it special.
