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Ozie Nzeribe Continues To Blaze His Own Trail In The Entertainment World As “Royale Hughes”

Writer's picture: BUZZ LABUZZ LA


The multi-talented actor and musician continue to build on his already impressive body of work in his reprisal of Royale Hughes, the talented yet conflicted basketball star.


Our next esteemed guest needs a little introduction. He guest starred as “2Pac Shirt” in ABC’s Emmy award-winning “Little Fires Everywhere,” guest starred in Jamie Foxx’s “Dad Stop Embarrassing Me” and has also starred in Adidas and Louis Vuitton campaigns showcased worldwide.


However, most fans may recognize him as Todd in the Emmy award-winning show, “Shameless.” Most recently, Ozie can be seen in "The Stepmother 3," streaming now on Tubi.


As artistically consistent as he is talented, Nzeribe is set to return for season two of the Apple TV +, Kevin Durant executively produced sports drama ‘Swagger.’ In ‘Swagger,’ he stars as Royale Hughes, an extremely talented basketball player constantly trying to prove himself.


With an already impressive body of work and the work ethic to match his rare talent, Nzeribe’s star is bright as he continues to blaze a trail in the acting world.



Welcome to BuzzMusic, Ozie Nzeribe! It’s great to have you here with us! It’s rare to see someone as accomplished as yourself, particularly at a young age! We wanted to ask, what spark made you get into acting?


Thanks for having me. Great to be here. My venture into acting began with a leap of faith and a faithful push from my mother and family after an acting manager approached me. So you’re currently starring as Royale Hughes in ‘Swagger.’ How easy was it to get into character for someone as nuanced as Royale? It feels like he’s a complex person with a chip on his shoulder. Were you able to draw from any personal experiences when you portray him?


Royale and I, although different, have a couple of similarities, including dyslexia as well as a wealthy background, that, at times, we have both received a form of. Discriminated against. So I found this role easier to portray, with these similarities


So a common thread that comes up whenever you’re discussed is your poise, drive to succeed, and willingness to work to succeed and master your craft. How do you stay grounded as someone who has accomplished so much so early? How do you keep motivated and stay hungry to maintain your stellar performance?


I have my friends and family to keep me grounded, and as far as motivation and my hunger for the art are fueled solely by my love and devotion for acting, I only continue to love it more and more as time goes on. I also am motivated by fellow actors and actresses. So this isn’t extremely common knowledge, but you’re also a talented musician! For your fans who may not be as familiar with this side of you, how would you describe your music to fans who haven’t heard it before? Is there anything you want to achieve through your music?


Music was my first love and still is to this day. I mainly Rap but sing as well, and my style ranges from a couple of genres, including hip-hop, R&B, Afrobeat, and alternative. I plan to make more music this year and play at more big-scale venues, and hopefully, one day win a Grammy


For all of your fans out there and any that may be aspiring to follow in your footsteps in the future, what do you think is the most important quality for an actor or musician?


My advice for anyone looking into acting is to be consistent, turn in your self-tape auditions on time, always be open to opinions given by your directors, and always be polite when entering any acting set. As far as the music side, practice your craft and always make sure you’re happy with your music before pushing, don’t let anyone pursue music, and always be open to criticism.

Photo Credit: Apple TV+

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