Scottish actor Moyo Akandé on Shakespeare, inspiring women and mastering the ukulele

Interview: Cheryl Caira

Lead image: Moyo as Ross in Macbeth. Credit: Marc Brenner

Rise and shine

I wake up around 8am and drink a big glass of water before I have any coffee. I try to avoid social media so I don’t procrastinate. Then I’ll stand on my balcony, watch London go by and plan for the day ahead. Breakfast is usually eggs of some kind before I head to the gym. I’ve been really active from a young age, and I love the endorphins from a good workout. I leave feeling energised and ready to hit the ground running.

Once I’m home, I’ll open the laptop and get working. I’m playing the role of Titania in a BBC Proms production of Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Royal Albert Hall. The whole production will be a huge Scottish celebration, involving the Scottish Symphony Orchestra and National Youth Choir of Scotland. I’m spending most days working on my lines before rehearsals start in Glasgow, my hometown.

I’m also in pre-production for my sister’s [writer and director Morayo Akandé] debut feature film, Konbini Zombies. It’s a comedy-horror which will be shot in Tokyo. I co-founded a production company with Morayo, called Lucid Dreamers, and we’ve working on a big slate of projects and stories. We’ll always put people of colour to the forefront, and we’re aiming to bring more diversity behind the camera too.

Treading the boards

Come the afternoon, I usually catch up with friends and family and make myself some lunch. I’m a bit of a foodie and I love cooking, particularly Japanese dishes. I’m rooted into my Nigerian culture, and I can rustle up a great jollof rice – there’s no one I know that doesn’t like a bit of jollof.

The cast of Macbeth. Credit: Marc Brenner

I recently played Ross in a production of Macbeth at London’s Donmar Warehouse. Ross is traditionally played by a male, so I jumped at the chance to be involved, as I knew I could bring my own flair to the part. The entire run was sold out before rehearsals began, I think due to David Tennant playing Macbeth and Cush Jumbo as Lady Macbeth. We’re now transferring to the Harold Pinter Theatre, which will mark my West End debut. The director Max Webster has done a fantastic job casting predominantly Scottish actors, and it’s wonderful to see our Scottish roots being celebrated in a bold and exciting way.

I’m trying to make more time for things I’m interested in. I love music and I hated that I couldn’t play an instrument, so I bought a ukulele a few years ago and taught myself to play a few songs. I got really good then I let it go, so I’m trying to pick that back up again.

Cultural adventures

In the evening, I’ll eat dinner at home with my partner or head out to see a play. The last show I saw was Next to Normal at Wyndham’s Theatre, which was amazing. I’ll also check out a restaurant or two during the week. I’ve recently fallen in love with a new sustainable restaurant called Roe.

If I stay in, I like to watch inspiring documentaries about incredible artists. It keeps me positive and focused. I just finished Simone Biles Rising. She really is the GOAT. It’s amazing to see another woman who looks like me being celebrated in such an amazing way. It’s black girl magic.

I usually try to get to sleep before midnight. I need my beauty sleep and bed is my happy place. I have a nightly cleansing routine, because it’s important to get all that makeup off your face. When I settle under the covers, I normally read a book to try and unwind. I’m halfway through InScientia by Luke Baines. It’s contemporary fantasy and I’m loving it so far.

Macbeth runs at Harold Pinter Theatre from 1st October to 14th December