Folake Olowofoyeku (, ; born 26 October 1983) is a Nigerian actress and musician. She starred in the Chuck Lorre CBS sitcom Bob Hearts Abishola.
Early life, family and education Olowofoyeku was born in Nigeria to Nigerian politician Babatunji Olowofoyeku and his wife Felicia. The youngest of 20 children, she was named after the first female Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Folake Solanke. One of her older brothers is the musician and guitarist Toby Foyeh. Olowofoyeku has spoken about the importance of names in Yoruba culture. Her first name means 'to use non-monetary wealth to pamper', and her surname means 'a rich man uses a chieftaincy title to top off their wealth'.
She was raised on Victoria Island in Lagos, Nigeria, and also spent time in London, England.
Olowofoyeku attended Igbinedion Education Centre, a Montessori boarding school in Benin City. She then transferred to Vivian Fowler Memorial College for Girls in Ikeja, Lagos and then attended Oxbridge Tutorial College.
In 2001, at the age of 18, Olowofoyeku emigrated to the United States, where she came to live with her sister.
Although initially studying economics in anticipation of becoming an attorney, Olowofoyeku received a B.A. in theater from City College of New York. While she was a student at City College, she played NCAA Division III college basketball for the CCNY Beavers.
Career After graduating from college, Olowofoyeku got her start in off-Broadway theater in New York City. Her performances in the feature films When They Could Fly (2006) and Central & Broadway (2018) earned her the award for Best Actress at, respectively, the ReelHeART International Film Festival in Toronto and the CinéFashion Film Awards.
Olowofoyeku appeared in guest starring roles on television shows that include 30 Rock, How to Get Away with Murder, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Modern Family, Westworld, and White Collar.
Olowofoyeku starred in the 2017 film Death Race 2050 as Minerva Jefferson. The film is a sequel to the 1975 cult film, Death Race 2000, and was shot in Lima, Peru. Also in 2017, Olowofoyeku appeared opposite Gaby Hoffmann in the last season of the TV series Transparent, as her love interest, Lyfe.
Since September 2019, Olowofoyeku has played Abishola opposite American comedian Billy Gardell in the Chuck Lorre CBS sitcom, Bob Hearts Abishola. Lorre created the show with British-Nigerian comedian Gina Yashere, who writes for the show and plays Abishola's best friend, Kemi. Bob Hearts Abishola premiered in 2019 and is the first American sitcom to feature a Nigerian family. On January 25, 2023, the sitcom was renewed for a fifth and final season which began airing on February 12, 2024.
Music Olowofoyeku plays Afro-beat electronic music under the moniker The Folake. She plays guitar and piano. She has also worked as a sound engineer and a DJ. Olowofoyeku has a diploma in audio engineering from the Institute of Audio Research.
In 2013, Olowofoyeku appeared in two David Bowie videos as his bass guitar player: "The Stars (Are Out Tonight)" and "The Next Day". Both videos were directed by Floria Sigismondi. Tilda Swinton portrays Bowie's wife in "The Stars", and "Next Day" features actors Gary Oldman and Marion Cotillard. Olowofoyeku said that director Sigismondi and Bowie worked with the band so they could learn their parts musically in rehearsal, as well as portray themselves in the videos.
Personal life Olowofoyeku speaks fluent Yoruba and English. She resides in Los Angeles. She is a big fan of science fiction and the work of Octavia Butler, and counts Butler's 1980 book, Wild Seed, as a favorite. Her nephew Toluwalakin Olowofoyeku was one of the three on Kugali team that created the Nigerian animated mini-series Iwájú, released on Disney+ in February 2024.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 2003 Protesters Felice Falafafull Video 2006 When They Could Fly Bella Short 2008 10,000 A.D.: The Legend of a Black Pearl Plaebian 3 Video Staged Archive Judge Short In Search of Myster Ey Waitress Satire / Comedy / Biography / Mystery / Thriller / Drama 2009 The Child Within Omo Drama 2011 The Beaver Nurse Drama 2012 Hellbenders Serena Venter 2014 Gideon's Cross Mona Madugu (Nigerian Boss) Voice, short Kepler X-47 Alien Sentinel Short 2016 Female Fight Squad Winter 2017 Death Race 2050 Minerva Jefferson Video 2018 Central & Broadway Leon Short The Bride - Short Armed Frida 2024 Mufasa: The Lion King Amara Voice
Television Year Title Role Notes 2005 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Amina Asante Episode: "Night" 2010 30 Rock Jamaican Nurse #2 Episode: "Anna Howard Shaw Day" Law & Order: Criminal Intent Princess Timiro Episode: "Loyalty: Part 1 & 2" White Collar Teller Episode: "By the Book" & "Unfinished Business" 2011 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Adisa Episode: "Scorched Earth" 2014 Modern Family Ayoola Episode: "Marco Polo" 2016 How to Get Away with Murder Desk Nurse Episode: "There's My Baby" Westworld Surveillance Tech Episode: "Dissonance Theory" 2017 Colony Redhat Episode: "Panopticon" The Gifted Scar Episode: "rX" Transparent Lyfe Recurring cast: season 4 2019 The Filth Charlotte Episode: "Filthy Bro Day" 2019–2024 Bob Hearts Abishola Abishola Wheeler Main cast 2026 The Walking Dead: Dead City The Trader Episode: "Found/Lost"
Video games Year Title Role Notes 2018 World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth 2019 Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series - Episodes I, II, and III Priestess
Music videos Year Title Artist Notes 2013 The Stars (Are Out Tonight) David Bowie Bassist The Next Day
Theater 2004: Trojan Women by Euripides at Classical Theatre of Harlem (2 April 2004) 2009: Punk Roc/Love Song (Horse Trade Theater Group) at Kraine Theater (30 September – 3 October 2009)
Discography 2012: The.Folake! (self-released)
References
External links