‘Many Creatives Are Suffering and Smiling’, Mike Afolarin Shares With Chude

‘Many Creatives Are Suffering and Smiling’, Mike Afolarin Shares With Chude

Mike Afolarin became famous for a role. But what he shared with me on set may be the most powerful thing he has ever done.

He said many actors are suffering and smiling.

Even though Far From Home made him a breakout star, the weight he carries behind the scenes is softer, sadder, and far more complex.

He found photography through heartbreak. Work became a way to outrun the pain. One day, he picked up a camera — and that became his healing.

He said the women in his life often call him emotionally detached.

And right there on set, it clicked.

Maybe it wasn’t just about heartbreak. Maybe it began with an absent father.

He became the emotional rock for his mother. Somewhere along the way, he forgot how to let others hold him too.

He is open to reconciliation. But his father has not reached out.

Still, he says everyone needs a father’s love. Not having it made him grow up fast.

It shaped his heart. His relationships. His silence.

This is Mike Afolarin like you have never seen him before.