Zephani Idoko is a triple threat, Nigerian-born Actress with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting for Stage and Film. Soon after completing her degree, she took on the starring role of Abena in the psychological horror film “The Unsettling.” This story follows a West African couple’s trip to Los Angeles and the problems that arise in the house they’ve rented. The film premiered at film festivals in New York, the UK and Australia in late 2021 and is pending a general release. She also has a recurring role on the Starz Series “Power Book II: Ghost,” and she recently played Sallay in the critically acclaimed horror film “Nanny,” which premiered at Sundance in January 2022 and won the festival’s U.S. grand Jury prize.

Zephani smiles while posing with her hands in her pockets. — Jumpsuit + Skirt by Mola Walker
Earrings by Erickson Beamon

How did you find out about “Nanny” and your role of Sallay?
I only found out about the “Nanny” when I received the audition. I try not to look projects up too deeply before auditioning so I can stay in the right headspace. I knew I liked Sallay just from reading the sides though. She was funny and brought levity and sisterhood to the film, and I got to make her Nigerian, which I loved.

How did it feel when you found out “Nanny” won Sundance’s top award?
I found out about the Sundance win when someone sent me the Hollywood Reporter article from the night it was announced, and I proceeded to dance around my apartment before texting Nikyatu and Anna screaming in ALL CAPS. It was incredibly exciting, but I also wasn’t exactly surprised by the win because it’s such a great film. I saw firsthand how much intention and brilliance went into its making, and people who saw it at Sundance seemed to get that as well.

What was your favorite part of working on “Nanny”?
Definitely working with Nikyatu and Anna. We all just really clicked from our first meeting, and it made my job so much easier. Anna and I ended up just sitting and talking for hours after our first rehearsal and we connected in a way that made our on-screen sisterhood a cake walk. Nikyatu is a brilliant filmmaker and she cared so much about each of us that she’d handpicked to work with, so she made decisions that helped us shine. Everything from hiring the right teams for wardrobe and makeup to checking in about how much we liked the catering on set. It was a real breath of fresh air.

Zephani is wearing a matching cyan blue jumpsuit and midi skirt with a slit. — Jumpsuit + Skirt by Mola Walker
Earrings by Erickson Beamon
Shoes by Vivienne Hu

How do you prepare for a role?
It depends on the role really. Sometimes everything just clicks between the character and me from the get-go, and then I only have to focus on deepening the connection. Other times I have to study or prep an accent or find the threads of similarity between the character and me that I can weave into an authentic portrayal. I find ways to see life through the character’s lens no matter how different we are from each other. Sometimes I’ll create and write out short backstories or scenarios that lead up to where she is in this story (the script) and that feeds that connection between us. Getting that and building the character’s relationships are usually the most important parts of stepping into a role for me. I also always lean into my instincts when working on characters.

Do you have a favorite moment from “The Unsettling”?
That’s hard to say without giving stuff away. But I think in the second act when things have really come to a head, and it starts to get a bit meta with the way Abena is experiencing and perceiving her reality. That was fun to play. As a horror fan, I also really enjoyed the twist in the final scene. It’s one of those that gets you thinking and connecting dots for quite a bit after it’s over.

Zephani is wearing a colorful ensemble consisting of hot pink sunglasses, with a matching blazer and top, with a multicolored plaid skirt suit. — Sunglasses by Balenciaga
Jewelry by Erickson Beamon
Shirt by Judy Zhang
Suit by LK Bennett
Pink Blazer by LEFT FIG
Gloves + Boots by VICTOR dE SOUZA

What other goals and projects do you have in the coming years?
Can’t talk too much about future projects yet but in terms of goals, I just want to keep doing this thing I love and having more opportunities to create and play with new characters. I’m thinking more movies and maybe a major TV series role to sink my teeth into. There might be some theater further down the line as well. I’ve missed that a little.

Do you have any dream roles?
Dream role would definitely be something in “Black Panther.” I’m a huge fan. Plus, many people have told me they think I’d be great in that universe, and, you know what, I agree with them. So, consider me taking my shot or, you know, sliding into Marvel’s DMs. I’d also love any roles that get me working with Viola Davis and Jessica Chastain.

Outside of acting, how do you spend your time?
I love to travel. I’ve been to almost 30 countries, and in the last couple of years it’s also become a nice way to hit pause every so often on the rigors of having a career in this industry. Some of my favorite destinations so far have been Zimbabwe, Morocco, and Northern Italy (particularly Venice and Cinque Terre) I also watch a lot of TV series and movies when I can, both as a fan and as a scholar.

Zephani kicks out her leg in a pair of purple and yellow pants and a matching midi dress with pointed shoulder sleeves. In the second photo she wears a deep purple wool coat paired with a contrasting tangerine orange crop top and trousers. — **Left:**
Top + Skirt + Pant by Zell
Earrings by Erickson Beamon
Shoes by FANG Italy
**Right:**
Coat by LK Bennett
Top + Pants by Judy Zhang
Sunglasses by JACQUEMUS
Earrings by Erickson Beamon

Who or what inspires you?
I am inspired by so many things and people in different moments. It can be quite random. Sometimes it’s a TV show or film character, or a person I only met for a brief moment, or someone whose story I’ve stumbled on online. I also love a beat-the-odds success story (who doesn’t), but it’s particularly poignant for me if the person in question is also an immigrant, Black woman/person of color, or an actor.

What are you most proud of?
In case you haven’t noticed yet, it’s pretty hard for me to pick one “most” anything. There are quite a few things that come to mind with this question, but something I’ve become increasingly proud of over time is how passionate I am about what I do and the resilience I’ve discovered in myself over the years since starting my career. In a business that’s packed with uncertainty and so many “no’s” I’m proud to have faced every new challenge with a reaffirmation of the fact that this really is my thing and I’m not going anywhere.

Social Media.

Instagram: @ZephaniIdoko
Twitter: @Zephanii