In its 20 years of publishing, News/Politics magazine, TELL has never put a Nigerian entertainer on it's cover until Genevieve Nnaji graced one of its June editions. Here's some of what she told Lolade Adewuyi, senior assistant editor and Omoregbe Igiebor about D'Banj, Omotola Jalade, Goodluck Jonathan and the secrets of her success.
When Genevieve Nnaji emerged onto the poolside of the Four Points by Sheraton, Lekki for our interview, it was with the aura of a screen diva. With a face and a body that make many women envious and make men's jaws drop in awe, Nnaji, 32, maintains that she is your girl next door. This screen goddess remains grounded even with all of her achievements garnered over 12 years of acting in Nollywood, Nigeria's straight-to-video film industry. Her roles in films, performed with utmost believability, have been known to bring tears to the eyes of many young and old. In the last two years, however, Nnaji has been working on feature films as a way of taking her art to a wider audience.
The accolades have come in from abroad and she has not gone unnoticed in some of the biggest movie circles. Early this year she won the award for her breakthrough performance in The Mirror Boy at the Monaco Film Festival, France where Hollywood star Robert De Niro made a pleasant remark about her talents. This whipped up frenzy in online forums of an impending role in an upcoming James Bond movie. Nnaji, effusing humility, says she's expecting the best from the rumours and is waiting for a call from the producers of the spy movie. Having been described by no other person than talk show legend Oprah Winfrey as the Julia Roberts of Africa, Nnaji has found fame unnerving some times with its attendant headaches.
Every day in the life of someone as popular as she is brings its problems and this has made her a little reclusive. When other people go out, she stays indoors as an opportunity to unwind away from public glare. Mother to a 16-year-old girl, fashion designer, one-time singer, inconstant writer, serial single and a tabloid delight, Nnaji crams so much into her one life that makes her a pleasure to talk to. And she's also got interesting ideas about politics. If you thought the adorable movie star was just a pretty face, you had it all wrong as she gave her first interview to TELL, a magazine that she grew up reading at her dad's bedside. Nnaji shared her success secrets and more with Ololade Adewuyi, senior assistant editor and Omoregbe Igiebor recently. Excerpts:
What is it about Genevieve Nnaji that makes her tick?
I think (it is) just being me.
What kind of person are you outside of the TV screen?
I'm actually your everyday girl. I'm your regular next-door girl. I don't think there's anything necessarily special outside of the God-given talent that I have and that I've decided to put to use. Despite my shortcomings, despite my imperfection and it has worked for me. I just think I've been able to manage and make do with what I have and basically be content with what I have and make it work for me; and being able to do that regardless of naysayers and doubters and lack of support to keep my fans happy.
You started out as a regular girl. Twelve years down the line you're the biggest actress in Nigeria, what is the secret of your success in acting?
It has been nothing short of staying true to the art. I have stayed as professional as I can. I have given my work and my craft as much attention as it needed. I have respected myself as an artiste. I think just giving it your all and not deviating from the fact that all you want to do is act. That's all I focus on and you can tell that from my movies.
Times have changed, there was a time you were a constant face in all the movies we had, now we hardly see you, can you tell us what you're working on these days?
The reason for the change is that Nollywood was all about quantity in the beginning and it's growing and evolving. With evolving comes change and with change we hope, comes improvement. I've decided that I want to be among the change in time. I'm going to help it improve and in doing that you have to watch out for the kind of jobs you do, the kind of jobs you want Nollywood to shell out. You support the kind of movies you want people to see Nollywood producing. So far, I've been privileged to have done a few features like Ije, Tango With Me (that is in cinemas now) and The Mirror Boy, which is going to be premiered here soon. I have enjoyed working in a professional environment and I don't see myself going back into that mediocrity that we were so used to in Nollywood.
How has The Mirror Boy impacted on your career?
It has done the same thing Ije and Tango With Me have done. It was less challenging than Ije and Tango, to be honest. But it was a good thing because it was the first time I was shooting in the UK and it was the first time I was visiting The Gambia. So it was good to play somebody outside a Nigerian because I played a Gambian (woman). I don't think I did anything extraordinarily necessarily because the script was originally written for a Nigerian setting.
Let me take you to Ije where you starred opposite Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, over time there have been stories of an intense rivalry between the two of you, the biggest female actors in Nollywood. Was there really a rivalry?
There's competition in any field. Rivalry is a personal thing, you choose who you want to see as your rival. I do not see anyone as a rival but I have competition. There's competition out there because you know the only actress who is good but when you see someone as your rival, it means the person intimidates you. I'm sorry, but I'm not one of those because I think everybody is unique in (his or her) own way and all I do is focus on what I can do. I will never try to outdo anyone. I'm going to try to continue being the best I can but I'm not going to work with somebody as a yardstick or somebody I want to outplay. Because if you do, you will either over-act or under-act and you just won't be yourself. So in terms of rivalry, no it was a rumour.
When you acted with Omotola in Ije, how was your relationship on set?
Omotola and I are colleagues. We are not friends in the sense that she's one of the people I hang out with – my buddies. In the entertainment industry, she's one of the people that I respect as an actor. Acting with her is always interesting. She is a unique individual. She is very entertaining and you just have to learn to deal with everybody individually. And that applies to her and everyone else.
Where is Nollywood heading 10 years from now?
It's a slow and steady process and we are getting there. I see a recession right now and there is a change that is coming to Nollywood. It's obvious. Having had such great attention from President Goodluck Jonathan, just that embrace from the private sector, from the banking sector, from a lot of people who are coming in now and showing lots of interest that means there is room for change. Even having the funds that the President has given us to help improve production shows that change is coming. The change will come, (but) not everybody might be part of it but a new industry is building and it has to be one that would only carry along people who are passionate about the craft and not people who are there for the fame and the money but basically true talents. Continued...
When Genevieve Nnaji emerged onto the poolside of the Four Points by Sheraton, Lekki for our interview, it was with the aura of a screen diva. With a face and a body that make many women envious and make men's jaws drop in awe, Nnaji, 32, maintains that she is your girl next door. This screen goddess remains grounded even with all of her achievements garnered over 12 years of acting in Nollywood, Nigeria's straight-to-video film industry. Her roles in films, performed with utmost believability, have been known to bring tears to the eyes of many young and old. In the last two years, however, Nnaji has been working on feature films as a way of taking her art to a wider audience.
The accolades have come in from abroad and she has not gone unnoticed in some of the biggest movie circles. Early this year she won the award for her breakthrough performance in The Mirror Boy at the Monaco Film Festival, France where Hollywood star Robert De Niro made a pleasant remark about her talents. This whipped up frenzy in online forums of an impending role in an upcoming James Bond movie. Nnaji, effusing humility, says she's expecting the best from the rumours and is waiting for a call from the producers of the spy movie. Having been described by no other person than talk show legend Oprah Winfrey as the Julia Roberts of Africa, Nnaji has found fame unnerving some times with its attendant headaches.
Every day in the life of someone as popular as she is brings its problems and this has made her a little reclusive. When other people go out, she stays indoors as an opportunity to unwind away from public glare. Mother to a 16-year-old girl, fashion designer, one-time singer, inconstant writer, serial single and a tabloid delight, Nnaji crams so much into her one life that makes her a pleasure to talk to. And she's also got interesting ideas about politics. If you thought the adorable movie star was just a pretty face, you had it all wrong as she gave her first interview to TELL, a magazine that she grew up reading at her dad's bedside. Nnaji shared her success secrets and more with Ololade Adewuyi, senior assistant editor and Omoregbe Igiebor recently. Excerpts:
What is it about Genevieve Nnaji that makes her tick?
I think (it is) just being me.
What kind of person are you outside of the TV screen?
I'm actually your everyday girl. I'm your regular next-door girl. I don't think there's anything necessarily special outside of the God-given talent that I have and that I've decided to put to use. Despite my shortcomings, despite my imperfection and it has worked for me. I just think I've been able to manage and make do with what I have and basically be content with what I have and make it work for me; and being able to do that regardless of naysayers and doubters and lack of support to keep my fans happy.
You started out as a regular girl. Twelve years down the line you're the biggest actress in Nigeria, what is the secret of your success in acting?
It has been nothing short of staying true to the art. I have stayed as professional as I can. I have given my work and my craft as much attention as it needed. I have respected myself as an artiste. I think just giving it your all and not deviating from the fact that all you want to do is act. That's all I focus on and you can tell that from my movies.
Times have changed, there was a time you were a constant face in all the movies we had, now we hardly see you, can you tell us what you're working on these days?
The reason for the change is that Nollywood was all about quantity in the beginning and it's growing and evolving. With evolving comes change and with change we hope, comes improvement. I've decided that I want to be among the change in time. I'm going to help it improve and in doing that you have to watch out for the kind of jobs you do, the kind of jobs you want Nollywood to shell out. You support the kind of movies you want people to see Nollywood producing. So far, I've been privileged to have done a few features like Ije, Tango With Me (that is in cinemas now) and The Mirror Boy, which is going to be premiered here soon. I have enjoyed working in a professional environment and I don't see myself going back into that mediocrity that we were so used to in Nollywood.
How has The Mirror Boy impacted on your career?
It has done the same thing Ije and Tango With Me have done. It was less challenging than Ije and Tango, to be honest. But it was a good thing because it was the first time I was shooting in the UK and it was the first time I was visiting The Gambia. So it was good to play somebody outside a Nigerian because I played a Gambian (woman). I don't think I did anything extraordinarily necessarily because the script was originally written for a Nigerian setting.
Let me take you to Ije where you starred opposite Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, over time there have been stories of an intense rivalry between the two of you, the biggest female actors in Nollywood. Was there really a rivalry?
There's competition in any field. Rivalry is a personal thing, you choose who you want to see as your rival. I do not see anyone as a rival but I have competition. There's competition out there because you know the only actress who is good but when you see someone as your rival, it means the person intimidates you. I'm sorry, but I'm not one of those because I think everybody is unique in (his or her) own way and all I do is focus on what I can do. I will never try to outdo anyone. I'm going to try to continue being the best I can but I'm not going to work with somebody as a yardstick or somebody I want to outplay. Because if you do, you will either over-act or under-act and you just won't be yourself. So in terms of rivalry, no it was a rumour.
When you acted with Omotola in Ije, how was your relationship on set?
Omotola and I are colleagues. We are not friends in the sense that she's one of the people I hang out with – my buddies. In the entertainment industry, she's one of the people that I respect as an actor. Acting with her is always interesting. She is a unique individual. She is very entertaining and you just have to learn to deal with everybody individually. And that applies to her and everyone else.
Where is Nollywood heading 10 years from now?
It's a slow and steady process and we are getting there. I see a recession right now and there is a change that is coming to Nollywood. It's obvious. Having had such great attention from President Goodluck Jonathan, just that embrace from the private sector, from the banking sector, from a lot of people who are coming in now and showing lots of interest that means there is room for change. Even having the funds that the President has given us to help improve production shows that change is coming. The change will come, (but) not everybody might be part of it but a new industry is building and it has to be one that would only carry along people who are passionate about the craft and not people who are there for the fame and the money but basically true talents. Continued...
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