Olly Sholotan on Bel-Air, Nigerian Roots, Music Genius & Hollywood Hustle | One54

About this episode

Olly Sholotan — actor, musician, producer, and the breakout star who redefined Carlton Banks in Peacock’s Bel-Air — joins Akbar and Godfrey for a hilarious, soulful, and deeply honest conversation on One54. From Nigerian roots to Hollywood sets, Olly opens up about the journey that shaped him into one of the most compelling young creatives in entertainment today.Born in Atlanta, raised between Nigeria, the UK, and Houston, Olly shares how culture, identity, and constant reinvention sharpened his artistic instincts. He talks about learning accents out of survival, finding community as a first-generation kid, and discovering his passion for storytelling.

Olly breaks down how he taught himself to produce music from scratch, why Billie Eilish’s early career inspired him at UCLA, and how he blends his voice into complex sound design. He shares stories of grinding through auditions, the nerves of almost landing a role in Logan, and the pressure of stepping into one of TV’s most iconic characters with Bel-Air.

They also explore Nigerian food culture, jollof rice superiority, Yoruba spirituality in Cuba, African influence around the world, and the shared thread between Nigerian, Caribbean, and Black American communities.

From being a tech-loving kid who thought he’d study computer science…
To performing Shakespeare in British dialects…
To singing full Cuban songs phonetically for an Off-Broadway musical…
To starring in a global reboot of a cultural classic…

Olly’s story is a reminder that African creativity is boundless — and unstoppable.A vibrant, comedic, and meaningful conversation filled with identity, art, hustle, culture, and laughter.