Q: You wear many creative hats — actress, audiobook narrator, producer, photographer. How did storytelling become such a central part of your life?
I was raised around theater — literally. My father was the Founder and Artistic Director of the New Freedom Theatre in Philadelphia, so storytelling was always part of my environment. That early exposure shaped how I see performance, voice, and character. Whether I’m acting on stage, narrating an audiobook, or creating something visually, it all comes back to storytelling.
"Storytelling isn’t limited to the stage or the studio
— it’s something you carry with you."
Q: Your performance background spans stage and screen. What are some standout moments?
Theater has always been foundational for me. I’ve performed in August Wilson’s Jitney and Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, which earned me an L.A. Stage Alliance Ovation Award nomination for Featured Actress. I was also part of The Ballad of Emmett Till, whose production received both the 2010 L.A. Stage Alliance Ovation Award and the Los Angeles Drama Critics Award for Best Ensemble. On screen, I’ve appeared in Family, ELEVATE, and Lifetime’s Within. I also starred in, co-wrote, and produced Bathroom Vanities.
"Audiobook culture has its own language, humor, and identity."
Q: You’re also a multi-award-winning audiobook narrator. What projects have been especially meaningful?
As an audiobook narrator, Adenrele’s voice can be heard across a wide range of bestselling and critically acclaimed titles, including Stacey Abrams’s Avery Keene series, The Premonition by Michael Lewis, The Queen: Aretha Franklin by Mikal Gilmore, The Butterfly Effect: How Kendrick Lamar Ignited the Soul of Black America by Marcus J. Moore, In Search of the Color Purple by Salamishah Tillet, The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, Alexandria House’s McClain series, Cosmic Music by Andy Beta, and the multi-cast production The 1619 Project. When I’m not recording, I sometimes direct authors, celebrities, and fellow audiobook narrators. I’m also a proud member of SAG-AFTRA.
"Headphones on. World off.
That’s where the stories live."
Q: Your creativity now extends into design. What inspired your audiobook merchandise line?
Audiobook culture has grown into a vibrant community — listeners, narrators, romance fans, and story lovers who live in audio. My merchandise line celebrates that space, with designs inspired by narration life, listening culture, and the shared experience of storytelling through sound.
Q: How would you describe your creative philosophy?
Storytelling isn’t limited to the stage or the studio. It’s something you carry with you. Whether I’m behind the mic, performing, researching my family history, creating visual art, or designing apparel, it all connects. For me, storytelling isn’t just something you perform — it’s something you live, wear, and share.