Nse Ikpe — Etim is
one of the most sought-after actresses in Nollywood at the moment.
Recently, she starred in the latest flick, The Meeting, produced by Rita
Dominic which premiered yesterday in Lagos. In this interview, she
shares her fantasies, acting career and the challenges of the industry
among other issues. Enjoy!!!
What is the secret behind your wonderful performances on screen?
Well,
you can see the smile on my face. It is really a very big honour for my
name to be mentioned as a nice actress. I own the gratitude to Almighty
God who is using my directors to bring out the best in me. It takes a
highly talented director to bring out the best in an actor/actress. I
strongly believe that people are still doing their work as expected of
them.
How do you feel when they appreciate your performances?
(Laughs)
I feel so honoured. It is not easy for one to be appreciated for doing
what I'm doing on screen. It means you did something good.
What is it that you are doing right when you are on set with these well-established actors/ actresses?
You
know I used to say that people should never rest on their oars. If a
woman hears that she cooks well, she should not relax because she has
been praised that she cooks well. What I am saying in essence is that,
we learn every day. Is not that people cannot do something right, but
they need to be empowered. The best of me is yet to be seen.
What is the difference between you and other actresses?
I
don't know what to say, and I cannot run away from the fact that God
has been on my side. Sometimes, I sit down and look at what I have done
in the past, and where I have gone wrong. So I try every day to improve.
I also work on my co characters in other to make something different.
Well, everybody is different Even if they are living the same life.
No
matter what, even when they are born of the same mother, one thing will
always make the difference in the person. I believe so much that for
every role you play in a movie, you must find one little thing that you
connects. Like in The Meeting , you see how Bolarenwa connected. They
really brought out the funny part of me in my character as Bolarenwa in
The Meeting.
What do you say about Bolarenwa in The Meeting?
In
movies, there are romantic comedy, there are comedy but this one, The
Meeting , is a satirical comedy. Now, there is no character in the movie
that one cannot identify with. Because, there is always a Makinde in
someone's office. There is always an Ijora, that girl that walks around
the office pretending as if she does not know anything but she knows
what she wants. There is always a Bolarenwa in every office.
There
is also a Clara Ikemba the receptionist that will neither block or mare
your life. There is also a gateman, that person that opens the gate at
every sound of horn at the gate. You see, that the characters connected.
Talking
about characters like, Makinde and Ijora, they are upcoming actors, has
your perception about them changed after acting with them?
I
will be very honest with you, I saw Ijora, different from the role he
plays in Tinsel. And he played the lawyer and I saw he plays a different
funny man here. He walked in a funny way, he reacted in a funny way
then I was surprised, I said where did you learn all these things from? I
was pleased with the way he acted and I said yes, our industry needs
this. As a new Nollywood, we need new more entrants into the industry
than we have already. I know we have talent here in Nigeria.
People
are highly talented in this country to be honest. But the problem is,
do they have the platform to be recognized? I am very happy for their
talents. I was given a chance in Reloaded . I was supported by all the
elites in the industry and I came out with that movie. In that movie,
you find out that I acted amidst established actors/actresses . The
movie was amazing.
If Makinde never had the platform to perform in Tinsel like other upcoming actors, do you think he would have impressed you?
One
thing I strongly believe is that, you can never lock up talent no
matter what. Talent will surely rise above everything. What now makes it
shine is the attitude. But you can never lock up talent. Even if he has
never acted before, there would have been another avenue for him to
perform.
As
for Linda, she is willing to learn. She does not think that she knows
it all. I am actually more happy than they are for what they have. So, I
know what it is like. When it comes to acting, I was burning up. And
then, there on the stage, you will have the support of the cast, the
director and the producer, you find out that the sky is your limit.
How soon do you intend to bounce into TV programmes since that is what most people prefer these days?
May
be one day, you will get to see more of me; you will get to see more
Nse. I strongly believe that when the time comes, you will see me there.
What are your thoughts about the movie?
In
the movie, you know in school, there are these kind of girls, who are
local but feel they know everything. They have acquired a degree, but
still local. They have a sense of pride in them because, they feel they
have got something. They claim they are very wise but they do not know
anything that was exactly the role Mary played. So when she was exposed,
she went out of hands.
Can you recall in any movie were what you intended to act was not what you acted?
I
can't really recall now but I remember there was a scene in reloaded
where FEMI, walked into the living room with a girl and my character
dropped for like a second or two. People outside might not notice it,
but I did. When I was watching the movie, I was asking myself, why did I
dropped? So, these are the kind of things am working against. You know
sometimes, we all have to learn how to control our emotions.
Which of the movies do you think was extremely challenging?
Well,
each movie has its challenges, but the most challenging is the one I
shoot recently in Abuja, it is called, BROKEN. The movie actually broke
me. The film made me see the strength of a woman from different point of
view. Having a family, yet not having one. The movie was something
else. There was a meeting point in that movie.
Meanwhile,
I always give myself sometime to rest. I do not jump from one stage to
the other. If I have a script, I dedicate everything I have and when I
am done, I will give myself some rest.
Do you have the intention of going into some other branches of art?
As
I always say, I am comfortable with where I am in acting I want it that
way. For now, I am in love with my work. In terms of loving the people I
am working with like the directors, producers and others. I love
putting a smile on people's faces. We need to remind people that things
have happened and it is only acting that reveals that. It is a concept
reminder.
How do you react to the ALUU-UNIPORT killing?
We
should be made to know the value of life in this country. In this
country, as far as it didn't concern us, we are not bordered. We have
reduced ourselves to nothing that we do not appreciate the value of
life. I was asking myself if it were to be my brother, how would I have
felt? I ask, was gun pointed at anybody and they said no. So, why did
they kill those guys?
When you are stressed up, what calms you?
Cooking
calms me more. I like cooking so much. If I can't cook, I read because,
I think that there is no knowledge that is a waste and reading gives
knowledge. If you read constantly, you can never lack.
What
I am praying for is that the generation after me will train their
children well on how to develop reading habit. That is why sometimes
when I speak, people will be asking themselves, where did this person
come from? I want to tell them that it is what I learnt from my parents
through constant reading. Sometimes, I hang out with my friends then I
mingle my fears and foes with my friends. I can also decide to be alone.
I will just lie on the bed for something and will not get up.
What would make someone earn your friendship?
Honestly,
for you to be able to be my friend, it means we must not judge each
other. Even if you offend me, I will understand the reason from your own
point of view because, you explained to me. Sometimes, I don't see you
all the time but we are very close. Some people will take offense and
the friendship will end.
I
also have friends I don't see all the time, the day we see, we greet.
So, even if when somebody tells you that I have not seen you for a long
time, just have it in mind that she is busy. I can't judge. If there is
anything you feel I didn't do right, don't judge, call me and ask me why
did you do a thing like this and I will explain it in the context that I
did it. That is what we own ourselves. I can laugh with everybody at
the same time; it is not all the time that I laugh.
What are the things you want in your man?
I
have answered this question over and over again but I think I have to
streamline it into one word, I want a man I can feel safe with. It is
not about money or whatever, somebody you can look back at and feel
safe. He will watch your back and you watch his. Not somebody who
doesn't respect your feelings and want you to respect his. It doesn't
work like that.
Vangard
Hosted by supermodel, entrepreneur and hometown girl, Heidi Klum, the 19th annual awards show will broadcast live from Frankfurt’s historic Festhalle on Sunday November 11.
