Local News
Toks Olagundoye on ‘The Neighbors’
B
orn in Lagos, Toks Olagun-
doye was raised not only in
Nigeria but also in Switzer-
land and England. The exotic
Nigerian-Norwegian
beauty
moved to the United States to
attend Smith College where she
received a Bachelor of Fine Arts.
After jumpstarting her career in
New York, the stunningly-attrac-
tive actress relocated to Los Ange-
les where within a short time she
landed roles on such TV series as
“NCIS,”
“Prime
Suspect,”
“Switched at Birth,” “CSI: NY,”
“Law & Order” and “Ugly Betty,”
to name a few. She currently stars
in ABC’s new hit comedy “The
Neighbors” (which airs on
Wednesdays at 8:30pm ET/PT),
playing “Jackie Joyner-Kersee,”
an alien from the planet Zabvron
who has taken on human form to
live in a gated community in New
Jersey.
Toks’ character is married to the
community’s Supreme Leader and
serves as the Zabvronian equiva-
lent of the First Lady. “Jackie” is
baffled by Earth’s strange customs
but is more open than her stubborn
husband who refuses to adapt.
In addition to acting, Toks
enjoys writing and producing
films for the web and is the
founder of Unlimited Ceiling
(http://www.youtube.com/user/Un
limitedCeiling) for which
she’s created web series
like “Callbacks” and
“AlphaSeries.” In her
spare time, she enjoys
cooking, horseback riding,
Pilates, archery and going
to the gun range. Toks’
secret talent is doing all
sorts of accents from
around the world.
Here, she talks about her life,
career and work on The Neigh-
bors.
Kam Williams: Hi, Toks,
thanks for the interview.
Toks Olagundoye: Absolutely
my pleasure! Thank YOU for the
interview!
KW: What interested you in The
Neighbors?
TO: Well, honestly, I love being
an actor and a job is a job, and I’m
C ELEBRITY
I NTERVIEW
by Kam
Williams
always happy to have a job. So,
initially, I would say: employ-
ment. But I am also a sci-fi lover
and have been itching to be on a
sitcom forever. So, I was thrilled
to have the opportunity to audition
and I really went for it!
KW: Tell me a little about the
show’s wacky premise?
TO: Sure, a community of
aliens set up a colony of sorts on
Earth in a New Jersey golfing
community, taking on the guise of
human form, and they do their best
to fit in and not attract attention.
Of course, they fail spectacularly.
One of the alien couples in the
community gets tired of waiting
around to hear from their home
planet and they vacate their house
leaving it open for a nice, human
Jersey family of five to purchase
and move into. Let the hysterical
comedy of errors ensues!
KW: How would you describe
Jackie?
TO: Well, neither, because nei-
ther is the case. Jackie is the wife
of the Zabvrobian supreme com-
mander, so she is more of a matri-
arch than a queen. And the aliens
are not impersonating the athletes
they have named themselves after.
They have taken on these names in
the hope of becoming a part of the
elite. In their minds, choosing the
names of accomplished sports fig-
ures will help them fit in and
excel. They don’t realize it actual-
ly makes them all stick out like a
box of sore thumbs. Yes, I realize
that is not an official adage. Hey, it
is now!
KW: Does the show have a mes-
sage?
TO: In my humble opinion, as a
foreigner, it does. And the mes-
sage is this: the only way to come
to a full acceptance and under-
standing of yourself is to embrace
your own culture, quirks and dif-
ferences while learning about
those around you and exploring,
incorporating and embracing their
cultures, differences, quirks,
etcetera. Okay, that’s a lot of
words. Basically, we are all differ-
ent and we all have something to
learn and it doesn’t mean people
need to change who you are but
one should be open to new things
and, above all, tolerance and
understanding are essential
for growth and happiness.
That’s still a lot of words.
Let’s try this: we are all dif-
ferent and that’s okay.
That’s not incredibly poetic,
but it’s the message at its
essence.
KW: You’re half-Niger-
ian and half-Norwegian?
Which do you identify with
more?
TO: Oh, I identify with them
both very strongly. I identify
myself as a Nigerian because that
is where I was born and raised and
where my family still lives. And,
in my mind, that is the definition
of where someone is from. But I
was raised by a very Norwegian
mother and spent a ton of time
there every year until I was about
14 and am closest to my Norwe-
... above all, tolerance
and understanding are
essential for growth and
happiness.
C
O
your character, Jackie?
TO: Quirky, cute, loving, kind,
curious, proper, diligent, patient,
inquisitive, genuine, lovely, tall,
green blooded… Okay, now I’m
just throwing words at you. I shall
cease and desist.
KW: So, you play an alien
queen who’s impersonating U.S.
Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersee.
Which is more challenging, play-
ing an alien or impersonating
M
M
U
N
I
T
Y
C
Toks Olagundoye
gian relatives. So, it is very diffi-
cult to choose. Call me, Sophie.
[ala Sophie’s Choice] Well, don’t,
it’s not my name and not really
that traumatic of a choice, but you
get my gist.
KW: So, do you still have lots of
friends and relatives in both
places?
TO: I do.
KW: Do you speak Norwegian?
TO: I do. Not as well as I did in
my childhood but I can get by in a
conversation.
KW: You studied theater at
Smith prior to embarking on your
professional career. Do you rec-
ommend that route to other aspir-
ing actresses?
TO: Not necessarily. It was right
for me, but other people do better
going on to grad school and others
yet are naturally inclined and do
just fine without any formal train-
ing at all. Everyone is different.
The only things I think are imper-
ative are focus, determination and
hard work.
KW: What would be your ideal
movie role?
A
L
E
N
D
TO: Oh, my. That’s a hard one.
Anything Meryl Streep, Angelina
Jolie, Jennifer Aniston or Charlize
Theron would say “yes” to. I think
I have covered all my bases there.
I mean, I just have fun doing what
I do. If it looks like a good time,
I’m up for it! Seriously, have your
people call my people.
KW: What film director would
you like to work with?
TO: Oh, so many... The Coen
Brothers, Martin Scorsese, Sam
Mendes, Mike Leigh, Kathryn
Bigelow, David Fincher, Cameron
Crowe, Chris Nolan, Ridley Scott,
Sam Raimi, Quentin Tarantino,
Luc Besson, Penny Marshall, Ron
Howard, Mike Nichols, Kenneth
Branagh... Bring it!
KW: Is there any question no
one ever asks you, that you wish
someone would?
TO: Yes: “Would you like a few
million dollars? Because I happen
to have a few extra I can give you
tax free.” Ha! No, not really, I’m
just glad that anyone wants to ask
See TOKS on page 8
A
R
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Page 2 The Seattle Skanner November 28, 2012
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26TH ANNUAL HOLIDAY CELEBRATION. Great Figgy
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