The 51-year-old thespian opened up about the advice during a recent interview with DTNOW Magazine, while advising aspiring actors and actresses on how to stay relevant in the dynamic entertainment industry.
According to Kate, Olu Jacobs advised her to avoid complacency and and remain open to continuous learning in order to enhance her acting skills.
Based on this counsel, she said she started following actors and actresses from different parts of the world to learn from them, a practice she still does till date.
She went on to mention a few actresses whom she follows religiously in her quest for continuous improvement.
Her words,
“I remember Uncle Olu Jacobs saying to me, “Be willing to learn and to better yourself”. See what is being done out there—the practices. I’ve done stage, TV, and film. I watch other actors in Hollywood and Bollywood. I want to see how they’re doing it. I love Viola Davis so much. I love her.”
“She’s someone I love. Lately, JLo, I am seeing her comic side. She is a strong woman. I love Tracee Ellis Ross, and I love Charlize Theron. She’s got a long, lean look. I love it. There are so many of them that I really like. Top of my list is Angela Bassett at 60-something. You see, we are following her.
You know, these are people who have been in the game. They’re still there. There’s something they’re doing right. They’re conscientious about their work. They don’t mess around with their job. They don’t feel as if they have a right that everybody should kowtow and bow to them. No. Have a teachable spirit. Being able to learn, is for me, the best thing ever..”
