You recently opened a new boutique here in Lagos; are you considering the movie industry for fashion any time in the future?
No, not at all. I will still be acting; perhaps I’m born to act. Fashion business is just another side of me that a lot of people don’t know and by God’s grace in this year 2015; I intend to open another branch of this store. I’m never going to quit acting for fashion.
How did you feel when you won the Best Indigenous Language Yoruba Award at the AMVCA 2014?
For me it was a moment of joy. I was overwhelmed because I wasn’t really expecting my movie to win due to the other contenders in the category, so I was very excited when I got called up. For me AMVCA is like our own Oscars, so it was a great honor for me.
How has it been for you combining acting with your personal life and family?
It hasn’t been easy combining my career with being a wife and mother; it’s a lot of hard work. It is difficult striking a balance between these three important roles, but like I tell people I have a very understanding partner. My husband is fantastic and he’s always there for me. I am also blessed with a mum who is very supportive and accommodating, who helps to baby sit my kids when I’m on set, and not forgetting my domestic staff who help with the house chores….
Have you been cast in a role where you had to play a romantic or sexual scene properly?
A bit, but not too deep.
How does your husband react to this?
My husband knows I am a professional when it comes to acting; he met me as an actress and knows I give my best when it comes to my job. Maybe he gets jealous and he doesn’t show it, but I haven’t done anything that he wouldn’t like. He has been supportive of my career so far.
Could you shed light on the rumour that you are victim of assault and battery in your marriage?
Ha! Never; I was never a victim of such. My husband loves me and I love him too. In fact, he been my pillar of support over the years and I will constantly keep saying it: he has never ever raised his hands on me. I don’t know where all these rumors are coming out from. My family is intact and we are one big lovely family.
Which is your most challenging role so far?
Every movie I have featured in was challenging but the most challenging role I have played so far is ‘Osas’; the character is a comic one. It wasn’t easy because I had no experience in comedy and it was also challenging because I had to learn my native language which I don’t speak fluently. I was the producer, the scriptwriter, and I also played the lead character.
What inspired you to take this particular role?
What inspired me was that, I was called up by Wale Adenuga to play Papa Ajasco’s wife. It was a challenge because it’s different from the regular role I have played in the past. So I accepted and on set I discovered that people behind the camera laughed and that motivated me to shoot my own comedy movie. I also wanted to go back to my roots; most people don’t know I’m a Benin girl because they see me a lot in the Yoruba movie genre. So I wanted my people to know I’m part of them and since I released the movie, I have gotten a lot of positive response from people….
And are the cheques rolling in too?
Yes oh, that’s the ‘koko’. I will like to use this opportunity to appeal to our people not to buy pirated copies of our movies because we want the cheques rolling in please.
Is there any role you missed out on, or any you wish you had played better?
None, as far as I am concerned. I don’t think there is any one I have missed out on, but there are some roles I would like to play. For example, I am looking forward to playing the role of an imbecile.
How did you get into acting?
It’s not like I set out to be more popular in the Yoruba genre of Nollywood; I actually started with the English genre in Super Story and Images. After that I got called up by a Yoruba movie producer and the scripts kept on rolling in from then. I was featured in an English movie (The Other Side Of Life) recently by Lancelot Imasuen. I was on set with Ebube Nwagbo, Monalisa Chinda, Seun Akindele and others. I also did another movie The Needle by Famous Okaporin, which also features top actors like Francis Duru, Emeka Enyiocha and others.
So is it safe to assume that you would be open to even appearing in a Hausa movie in the near future?
Yes of course; as an actor one should be able to do movies in different languages. If any Hausa movie producer is out there and you are reading this; I am willing to learn.
Tell us something you know now, that you wish you knew when you first started acting?
There is nothing basically. The thing about this profession is that you keep learning, so I’m still in the learning process.
You’re a mother of two, what do you do to stay fit basically?
I work out a lot even while I’m on set. I eat right and I also go to the spa.
What are your plans for 2015?
I will definitely be shooting more movies and I will also be focusing more on my fashion business.
What does fashion mean to you?
Fashion is everything to me. It’s an individual expression of how you want people to perceive you. In general, it’s your personal expression of your mood.
What causes are you dedicated to?
I and my team are currently working on a project which will be dedicated to providing household essentials for people in need; basically the orphanage and widows. We are also going to be kick-starting another project for children with Down syndrome; I discovered that a lot of them are segmented and this affects them a lot. I have a film in the pipeline that is going to address this as well. It is going to educate parents on how to relate with them, guide them and also manage the condition.
What other talents do you have?
I can sing. I hope Don Jazzy gets to read this too. Very soon my fans will know that part of me; they should watch out for me.
Do you think Nollywood will get to the stage where our actors too will start to win international awards?
I strongly believe we will because if you check out the type of movies we produce these days, you will know that we have really improved in all ramification. I think I even heard a rumour recently that there is a committee for Oscar Awards in Nigeria that will look into some of our productions and put up the best for nominations.
If you were to choose 3 Nollywood actors you will like to work with, who would you choose?
Ramsey Nouah, I like him and I think he is a fantastic actor. I like Majid Michel because his acting is very deep, and the third person will be Osuofia because he is very funny….
It would be recalled that not long ago, the actress who is one of the most admired and experienced actresses in Nollywood, Mercy Aigbe, gave some advices to single women.
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