Where Many Worlds Meet, Olly Sholotan in Conversation

Film

Olly Sholotan has lived in many places, but more than that, he has learned how to live between them. In this conversation, he reflects on the cities that shaped him, the cultures that formed him, and how those experiences now show up in his work. What comes through is not just the story of an actor and musician, but of someone learning, in real time, that complexity does not have to be simplified to be powerful. 

You’re Nigerian, and you’ve lived in Atlanta, Lagos, Houston, and Los Angeles. If each city were a chapter in your personal myth, what role would each one play in who you are today? 

Atlanta was very brief. I left when I was around six or nine months old, so I don’t think it impacted me much. Nigeria feels like the foundation. That was where I explored the world for the first time, where I took my first steps, where I started speaking. 

I remember watching High School Musical in Nigeria, and that was the movie that made me want to do this. At the time, I was obsessed with football, not American football. Thierry Henry was my hero. 

I wanted to play for Arsenal. Watching that film made me realise there was a world where I didn’t end up playing for a national team at all. Nigeria was the foundation. Houston was where I developed the habits that brought me here today. I went to a performing arts high school there, and that level of rigour taught me that you can only have fun once you’ve done the work. When I moved to Los Angeles, that was when it was time to let those seeds germinate. 

What part of Nigeria did you grow up in? When was the last time you went back? 

Lagos. Magodo, I believe. It’s been about ten to twelve years. Going back is a real dream of mine, I’ve just been busy. 

That’s what I mean when I say Houston developed me. I have a borderline obsession with productivity. Every summer, instead of travelling, I would work. Internships, studying, learning something new. Whenever my family went back to Nigeria, I’d say I’d go next time. 

Now I really want to go back. I want to see my country and where I’m from. With the visibility of the show now, there’s more to consider like safety and logistics, but with the right context, I would love to go.

Your work sits at the intersection of acting, music, and cultural identity. What do you understand about yourself now that you couldn’t articulate before Bel-Air? 

My uniqueness is my strength. I’ve always known that, but this show really confirmed it. The version of Carlton that exists on screen is something only I could have brought. When I listen to my music, from my first EP Soulful Gazing to what I consider my real debut, Ollywood Boulevard, that sound is only mine. 

I was born in Atlanta, raised in Nigeria, lived in Houston, and grew up listening to pop and Afrobeats. The Afrobeats I grew up on were D’banj and P-Square. I’ll never forget when “Yahooze” came out. 

At the same time, I was listening to Britney Spears, NSYNC, The Weeknd, and Travis Scott. For a long time, I tried to put myself in a box. Now I understand all those influences are allowed to exist together. 

As Carlton’s journey comes to a close, what emotional lesson are you taking with you, not as an actor, but as a human? 

Patience with oneself is very important. And genuine self love. Carlton started out as a kid with a lack of self acceptance. He compared every accomplishment to his dad and only saw his own shortcomings. Over four seasons, you see him learn to love who he is. Playing this character has been the greatest gift of my career so far. 

You’ve spoken about moving between cultures and never fully fitting into one box. Has that fluidity become your creative superpower? 

One hundred percent. My ability to exist in all these worlds has been invaluable. Art is culture. It’s about experiencing culture and sharing it. Being able to let different worlds exist in conversation with each other has taken me far in my career. 

Growing up between cultures often comes with pressure. How did Nigerian parenting shape you? 

Growing up, if someone came first in class and you came second, your parents would ask if the person who came first had two heads or two brains. If the answer was no, then you simply didn’t work hard enough. Naija no dey carry last.

Those experiences shape you. As a kid, bringing food to school and being questioned or mocked stays with you. Later you realise those same traditions, values, and ways of being are part of what make you good at what you do. 

You’ve spoken about joy as a form of resilience. What is bringing you joy right now? 

Two things. The weather in Los Angeles, and movement. I’ve been taking a lot of dance classes. In high school, I created something called Olli Academy. Instead of summer school, I made my own syllabus. One summer I’d learn video editing, another music production, another guitar. 

Since the show wrapped, I’ve been back in that mode. Dance class, singing lessons, practice, studio time. It feels like training again. That sense of productivity brings me a lot of joy. 

When you imagine the next decade, what’s a project that feels almost too daring to say out loud? 

I want to do a movie musical, then move it to Broadway and open it there. I don’t know if I’m writing it or starring in it, but that journey excites me. Man proposes, God disposes.

Whatever it ends up being will be exactly what it’s meant to be. 

How would you describe your latest single, “Hotshot”, to someone hearing it for the first time? 

It feels like being on top of the world. I wrote it during the final weeks of wrapping the show. 

I felt aligned with my purpose. Life was good. Doors were opening. I ran to the studio and the lyrics just came out. 

I’m meeting filmmakers I’ve admired for years and reading some of the best scripts of my life. It feels like an exciting moment. The best way I can describe it is, I feel like a hotshot. 

If there’s one question you wish interviewers would ask you, what would it be? What’s your highest standing box jump? 

The answer is forty eight inches. That’s one point two meters. Standing. People don’t realise how athletic I am.

Bel-Air season 4 is out now on Peacock

Words by Philipp Raheem