Ayra Starr muses on acting alongside Idris Elba, Viola Davis

Nigerian singer, Sarah Oyinkansola Aderibigbe better known as Ayra Starr, has reflected on her acting debut, joining the cast of Children of Blood and Bone, a highly anticipated adaptation of Tomi Adeyemi’s best-selling fantasy novel.

The “Bloody Samaritan” singer stars alongside foreign stars like Idris Elba, Viola Davis, and Cynthia Erivo in the movie.

Speaking in a recent interview with CBS Morning, the singer admitted she had long harboured dreams of acting but had been held back by nerves.

I’ve always been shy when it comes to acting, but this is the first time in my life that I’ve been on camera and I’m not singing,” she said.

I learned so much from everybody on set, not even just the greats—even like just the actors on set, the 16-year-olds, the 14-year-olds on set—it was so inspiring just watching them.”

She praised her co-stars, calling the experience a masterclass in discipline and stamina. “Working with actors of that calibre taught me so much. It wasn’t just fun—it was transformational.”