Tayo Shonubi does not fit neatly into one box. And she is not trying to. She is an actor, writer, director, producer, photographer, and teacher. On paper, it sounds like too much, but in reality, it is a life that has found rhythm in creative chaos.
On some days, her life feels like too many things happening at once, but she always finds time.
“The time is always there,” she says simply. “Sometimes one area is quiet, so you become busier in another.”
That quiet confidence runs through her journey, that stretches from childhood musicals to international film festivals, from rejection in Los Angeles to recognition on Ugandan stages.
Long before film festivals and awards, Tayo was a shy child who found comfort in musicals. She remembers watching The Sound of Music and My Fair Lady over and over again, not just for entertainment, but something deeper she could not explain at the time. Those films made her feel safe.
By the age of 11, she had joined Kampala Amateur Dramatic Society (KADS), stepping into a world that felt both terrifying and right. She did not just act; she learnt lighting, stage management, and everything she could. It was never only about being in the spotlight but about understanding the whole story.
Seeking more knowledge
Years later, that passion took her to New York and then Los Angeles, where she studied musical theatre and tried to build a life as an actress. But the reality she encountered was far from what she had imagined.
Tap link to continue reading her story here: When the film industry said No to Tayo Shonubi, she wrote her own Yes