I’m moved to tears anytime I learn about killings in North –Chelsea Eze, Nollywood actress
Chelsea Eze
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Nollywood actress, Chelsea Eze speaks with ADEMOLA OLONILUA about her career and early life in Kano
My dream career
I would have been an aeronautic engineer
because I loved physics at school. I studied English Language at the
University of Maiduguri. Before then, I wanted to study mechanical
engineering. I had always liked airplanes. I always dreamed of them. I
loved movies that had settings in airplanes, such as Airforce One.
How I became an actress
I acted in a movie for the first time in
2009. In my first movie, I played a role alongside Genevieve Nnaji. I
was her daughter in the movie. I auditioned for an Emem Isong in 2007
when I was still an undergraduate, but I never took it seriously.
Sometime in 2009, Vivian Ejike wanted to do casting for Silent Scandal.
They were looking for a fresh face, somebody that would pass nicely
alongside Genevieve. My name came up and I was invited for auditioning
and I was selected. When I was shooting the film I did not know I wanted
to be an actress. I felt it was something that just came my way. I had
finished school then and I thought I should just play along. When the
movie broke and it was made on DVD, I watched it with my mum. I think
that was when I decided to take up acting professionally. Initially, my
dad kicked against it. He wanted me to work in a commercial bank like
him. After Silent Scandal, I decided I wanted to do movies. Now, he is comfortable with my choice of career. He just saw me in the movie titled, Two brides and a Baby
and he was very excited. He said I did a good job. Coming from my
father, it meant a lot to me. I think acting in movies has made me more
open to people. Before then, I never really liked to talk to other
people. I was a happy child, but I did not want to mix with other people
than my cousins and other relatives. I would attend parties only in
company with my cousins. Being an actress opened me up because I meet a
lot of people. I had no choice than to socialise.
My first time as an actress
I was very nervous. The crew played a
prank on me. They had set up and the director, TK, asked me to sit into
the shot. I had never done film acting before, except the little I did
in church and camera was not involved. I did not know anything about the
film acting register. The director said, ‘Chelsea, please sit into the
shot’ and I was just looking around. Then he said I should just sit on
the chair. I sat down and he said, ‘Chelsea, you look very good on
camera, come and see.’ I stood up from the shot to go and see myself on
camera. I was very nevous, I had never done anything like that and I did
not know anything. The production crew and the directors were very good
and the director was very nice. He understood that I was new and he cut
me some slack in some areas. He kept explaining things to me. Genevieve
was amazing. They all knew it was my first time and they put me
through. I felt as if I was acting and rehearsing at the same time.
My take on Nollywood
Growing up and watching Nigerian movies,
I always thought that the celebrities lived in their own world. I
didn’t think they were human beings. I was quite young at that time and I
didn’t fully understand what was going on. I just thought the actors
and actresses were just people I saw on television often, that they were
just angels camped somewhere. Then I became an actress and realised
that they are just people. I met some of those people and I discovered
how much work goes into making a movie. It made me appreciate them and
their work. I used to watch and say all sorts of things about the
people. Now I know it is not easy to make a movie. I appreciate the
movie industry more now as an actress.
My worst moments as an actress
During the BON Awards event, a guy
walked up to me and said he was a movie fan. We introduced ourselves and
I walked in for the event. When I was called to receive an award, I
stood up and somebody tapped me. It was that same guy. I thought he
wanted to request my phone number or BlackBerry pin. I did not know why
he was tapping me. Then he pointed at the tag on my dress. I was putting
on a new dress and I had forgotten to remove the tag. I was very
embarrassed. The whole place felt so small. In my mind, I said to myself
that if I was a normal girl I would not even be bothered.
My role in the movie, Hood Rush
I had learnt about the film through a
friend of mine called OC. I heard Dimeji was holding an audition. I
missed the main audition. Fortunately, OC talk to Dimeji on my. I was
auditioned separately and I got the role. I acted the part of the
character, Shakira.
Growing up in Kano
I was born in Kano and I attended
primary and secondary school there. I had a fantastic childhood. At that
time, Kano was better than Lagos. As an undergraduate of the University
of Maiduguri, I always felt tightly drawn to Kano. I speak Hausa
better than my native Igbo. I left Kano when I had to serve. When I was
growing up I did not have everything money could buy, but I had had
everything I wanted at the time. My dad never wanted me to associate
with strangers. So he did everything possible to keep me at home. We had
a big compound and I would ride my bicycle round the house up to 10
times till I got tired and sleep. Kano was great place in those days.
It’s so sad to hear about what is happening in that used to be my home.
Sometimes I feel like crying whenever I hear about the killings taking
place over there. I pray for the people that are still there and the
families that have been affected by the crisis in the North in one way
or the other. I really wish there was something that I could do to help.
A peep into my relationship
I don’t really want to talk about my
relationship because it is my private life. I am not searching. My ideal
man is one who fears God, loves and respects me and my work. I love
honest people.
Extract from the PUNCH Newspaper
