Idia Aisien is known for her work in fashion, television, and film, but today she speaks to us as an actress, ready to take her first step onto the British stage in the play “Dear Father,” which will be shown from Thursday, June 12 to Saturday, June 14, 2025, at the Fireworks Factory in Woolwich Works, London. On the eve of her London debut, we wanted to ask the actress a few questions. In this interview – honest, warm, and at times very candid – Idia shares her thoughts on love, pain, family, and her debut on the theatre stage.

Idia, it’s a pleasure to meet you, and thank you for taking the time for this conversation. Congratulations on such an important and beautiful milestone – your theatrical debut in London.This is truly a special moment. You’re stepping onto the stage – for the first time, in a live theatre, with no retakes or editing, in a play that speaks about something deeply personal. Tell us, please: after the first rehearsals of “Dear Father”, has something changed within you not as an actress, but as a daughter?

What’s moved me most about the father-daughter dynamic in Dear Father is finally understanding a father’s perspective. The discipline, the protectiveness – things I used to see as harsh when it came to my own father – now feel layered with empathy. I lost my dad in 2019, and playing this role has made me miss him in new, unexpected ways.

“Dear Father” explores a difficult topic – not just love, but the silence that can live between close people for years. Be honest: how did you learn to “play” these emotions, and then let them go after rehearsal ?

Becoming Nike meant stepping into her world completely – her desires, her heartbreak, her blind spots. She believes she’s found true love in her husband, and anyone who challenges that becomes the enemy, even those closest to her. I don’t just play her emotions – I’m living them right now. I haven’t quite let her go yet… and probably won’t for a while.

Your character in “Dear Father” stands at the center of an emotional storm. But is there something in this play that you’ve personally long wanted to say out loud?

Yes. I’ve always wanted to say “I’m sorry” to my father. For the times I thought I knew more than I did, for the moments I didn’t listen. He protected me fiercely – and like most daughters, I pushed back more than I should have.

Even the most confident actors have scenes that feel like they’re being lived for the very first time, every time. Sometimes, a line suddenly stops being just a line and starts living inside you – and that can be a little frightening. What moment in “Dear Father” still makes you nervous?

There’s a scene where Nike has a heated confrontation with her father and slaps him after he calls her a prostitute. The father is played by RMD – Richard Mofe-Damijo – a true legend in Nigerian cinema. It’s like having to slap George Clooney on stage. It’s terrifying every time. When a clip of the scene was released in the trailer, the backlash online was intense.

Your journey in the arts began in a world of visuals, brands, and imagery. And now you’re on a theatre stage, where it’s not polish but authenticity, imperfection, and voice that matter. Has theatre brought you closer to your true self – or did it require you to let go of a previous version of yourself ?

Theatre has forced me to surrender. There are no second takes on stage, no editing. Every line has to come from somewhere real. I’ve had to let go of being a perfectionist and just live in Nike’s skin – moment by moment, breath by breath.

Many say that in theatre, there’s nowhere to hide. You’re either alive on stage, or you’re not. The stage is merciless to falsehood, but generous to those who come to it honestly. When did you first feel that the stage had “accepted” you?

This is my very first play, so I’m still finding out. But I’m committed to feeling every moment and giving the audience everything I’ve got. Theatre is about presence, and I plan to make every second count.

The great French actress Sarah Bernhardtonce said: “Death? I’ll play it when the time comes.” It’s a witty line, but it says everything: fearlessness, dignity, absolute devotion to the stage. What does it mean to “be” an actress today, for you?

To me, being an actress today means telling the truth – emotionally, spiritually, and creatively. It means disappearing into the story so the audience can fully believe. It’s about honesty, vulnerability, and connection.

Your early steps in fashion and television likely taught you how to be in the spotlight and shape your image. But theatre demands much more – emotional depth, vulnerability, transformation. Have there been any skills or habits from fashion or TV that you’ve brought into theatre -ones that might even surprise your audience?

Absolutely. Across fashion, TV, and now theatre, the common thread is connection. I’ve always used storytelling to connect with people – through a look, a segment, or now a monologue. The deeper I connect, the more complete I feel as an artist.

Your path in African cinema has captured the attention of audiences and critics alike, and you’ve become one of its distinct voices on the international stage. Do you feel that your work in film and theatre carries a responsibility to represent the African experience – or do you focus more on personal, universal themes that resonate with everyone?

I’m first and foremost an actor – able to embody any role, anywhere in the world. But I am also proudly African. I do feel a responsibility to represent our culture, our intelligence, our humanity – not through stereotypes, but through real, multidimensional characters.

Your theatrical debut in London opens up new horizons. After performing on such a meaningful stage as the Fireworks Factory at Woolwich Works – should we expect to see you on Broadway next, or would you prefer to take a well-deserved break first?

Hopefully no breaks! Acting is my escape – into other lives, other worlds. I’d love to keep exploring both stage and film. This is just the beginning.

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