Olly Sholotan, celebrated by One54 Africa as one of "Hollywood's most exciting young voices" and a "true multi-hyphenate," is redefining what it means to be a modern storyteller. This first-generation Nigerian American actor, musician, and producer is globally recognized for his complex portrayal of Carlton Banks in Peacock's Bel-Air, the bold reimagining of the classic sitcom, while simultaneously writing, producing, and performing his own music. One54 Africa notes that Sholotan is "bringing heart to everything he touches," whether on set, in the studio, or on stage.
Sholotan's diverse background, including being born in Atlanta, living in Nigeria until age 10, spending time in the UK, and settling in Houston, helped him develop an acute musical ear and an ability to "just locking in" and understand people. This cultural navigation is reflected in his name: his legal first name is legally 'Aje,' which means wealth in Yoruba—interpreted not just as money, but as health and wisdom—and his full name includes the royal designation ‘Omala,’ marking him as a prince. He purposefully kept 'Sholotan' as his last name because "something about me has to be recognizably Nigerian," feeling he could not "erase all" of his heritage.
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Initially a "computer nerd," Sholotan planned to pursue computer science in college. However, he made the decision to become an actor during his junior year of high school. He attended the rigorous High School for Performing and Visual Arts in Houston—the same school as Beyoncé—which required him to audition to get in. He then chose the Bachelor of Arts program at UCLA over a Bachelor of Fine Arts, seeking a multidisciplinary approach that allowed him to take music industry classes separate from the theater department. It was a music industry class focused on how to "break an independent artist," like Billie Eilish, that inspired him to teach himself music production using platforms like YouTube University, realizing he could take control of his music career.
The audition process for Bel-Air was intensely high-stakes. Sholotan was initially hesitant, believing that Alfonso Ribeiro "did maybe the best job in all of television with a character," and he wanted to avoid imitation. After submitting his audition tape, he was offered a "testing deal," a pre-negotiation of his entire contract, including salary and endorsement deals, before securing the role. After six weeks of waiting and chemistry reads, his agent called him at 9 a.m. to deliver the "terrible news" that he could no longer continue working at Equinox because he was now "Mr. Carlton Banks".
Sholotan’s depiction of Carlton Banks is highly complex, influenced by the rapper Kanye West, whose "undercurrent of darkness" and tendency toward self-sabotage reminded him of Carlton's brilliance getting "in his own way a lot". He views the character's struggles—including drug use, envy, and feeling overlooked—as universal emotions he felt necessary to bring to the surface to show a young Black kid experiencing "real struggles". He particularly relates to Carlton’s idolization of his father, feeling that he could never live up to his expectations, a challenge he shares with the character.
Despite the demands of his career, which includes ordering jollof rice from his mother every two weeks, Sholotan remains grounded and adheres to Will Smith's advice to "take it a day at a time and stay focused". He views the current era, where social media offers access to his diverse projects, as a "blessing" that allows him to show the "different colors" he possesses, counteracting the possibility of being typecasted. He finds deep satisfaction in having "found success at an early enough age that I'm able to do what I love and make a living from it".
