How I made my first million at 15 – Scarlet Gomez

By Rita Okoye

Scarlet Gomez has carved a niche for herself in Nollywood, winning hearts with captivating performances, particularly as the lead in the 2023 Showmax Original telenovela, Wura. While widely celebrated for her acting talent, Scarlet’s journey into entertainment began far from the spotlight.

In a recent interview with Nollywood On Radio, Scarlet reflected on her humble beginnings: “My career started out as a model. I was the first face of Spice Television. From there, I went to the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria auditions and about 10 other pageants. I won about seven of those pageants. That was how I made my first million at the age of 15. I gave all the money to my mother because I lacked nothing. There’s nothing I needed at that time that my mother wouldn’t do everything in her power to get for me. The things we didn’t have, we understood it was because she didn’t have the means. We lived with contentment, and for us, that was key.”

Although Scarlet has earned acclaim for her performances, she is ready to break free from typecasting.

“I’ve started turning down scripts because I’m tired of playing the wicked girl. In Nigeria, once they see you excel in a particular role, they stereotype you. I’m capable of so much more. Enough of the wicked roles.”

Scarlet’s personal life is as intriguing as her career. She is married to Temitope Gomez, a music executive and record label owner. Their love story, however, had an unconventional start.

“We met in a studio. At that time, I was dating one of his artists, and our initial interactions were far from friendly. He didn’t like my guts, and I didn’t like his. After I broke up with his artist, I still wanted to pursue music, so I stayed around the studio. In the process of them helping with my music career, we started liking each other. The rest is history.”