Lifestyle
Nollywood actress, scriptwriter and producer, Motilola Akinlami speaks about herself, her stir into Nollywood and loads of extra in this interview by ADERONKE ADESANYA. Excerpts:
What inspired you to pursue a profession in acting?
I will yell ardour. I fell in fancy with acting after I participated in my first official stage performance in 2000. It got right here naturally and it used to be true so easy for me and since then I even contain been passionate about it. Professionally, I’ve been acting since 2000, despite the truth that then I did extra of stage performs than staunch films. I got right here into the mainstream Yoruba industry seven years within the past.
Did you contain any official coaching in acting?
Obviously, I did. I studied at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. Even supposing, I did not look Theatre Arts, one of my mentors, Mrs Toyin Ogundeji, eager me in theatre. I had many of stage play coaching whereas I used to be at OAU I trained with other folks that did core coaching, and there contain been about a of us who contain been no longer from that division however had the chance to negate with them.
What used to be the first movie you acted in?
My first official and official movie used to be Bashorun Gaa.
What develop you skills most about acting?
The elegance of this profession for me is the truth that I’m able to be one thing else I contain to be. I true protect my imagination active and I’m able to change into that persona at the new time and another the next day. On the new time, I’m a lawyer, the next day, a policewoman, another day a health care provider, weeks down the road a mentally-challenged particular person. There are so mighty I’m able to be as an actress and it is by no manner unimaginative. Imagine it be crucial to residing aside your life and be somebody else for about a days earlier than you bag advantage to your life. It really fascinates me.
Of the total roles you’ve played within the past, which is your current?
My current will would possibly per chance per chance well peaceable be Murewa. Murewa is a movie that I wrote with all my coronary heart. I had the chance to play that role alongside improbable and improbable actors. I purchased to play with Emmani Manuwa, Aunty Tola Oladokun, and Fathia Balogun. It used to be comely for me. For the first time I had to fry akara the use of firewood which used to be one thing I by no manner belief I’m able to have the selection to develop.
What acting role contain you learned potentially the most no longer easy and why?
Murewa has to be one of my most no longer easy roles on myth of I had to fry akara and as a rule I used to be tearing up. I used to be really challenged by the burden of the persona I had to play. It took me out of my customary life and took me to develop one thing I used to be no longer weak to.
What’s potentially the most respected lesson you contain learnt on your profession?
Humility and learning to leave the stage when the ovation is loudest. These two classes would possibly per chance per chance well peaceable be potentially the most respected classes I even contain learnt in my profession after which is also residing and let are residing is another well-known lesson I even contain learnt.
What develop you watched is per chance the most no longer easy facet of being an actress?
For me, the superb disaster for an actress is having to change attire and redo bag ups. Imagine having to position on 40 attire at some stage within the condominium of three days, the disaster is expansive. It is more than just a few disaster.
Would you title any actress or actor within the industry as role objects?
I develop no longer contain somebody I model my life after however I develop contain other folks whom I fancy one or two things about. I really develop no longer watch as much as one particular person as an total however there are other folks whose facts I’d like to faucet into and watch what makes them tick. I strongly remember our paths are different. God leads me.
How develop you loosen up after a lengthy day or week on residing?
After a lengthy day of work, I’m going home to be round my circle, the folk I love and who fancy me, then lift a nap, wake up and play with my infants true being round my family. I’m an introvert, I don’t socialise mighty, so it’s on the total my family.
Invent you focus on cinema/tv portrays actuality precisely this uncover day or does it contain a adverse affect?
Yes, it does, that’s what we’re supposed to develop. When I used to be in my service 300 and sixty five days, I belonged to a club we known as dance and drama. Our motor used to be ‘societal mirror’. A movie industry is a mirrored image of a society it comes from, as an example Yoruba films are reflections of the Yoruba neighborhood. We remark our tales otherwise after which over again now we contain to. So, yes they develop mirror the society no longer essentially in a obvious technique at any time when. I do know out of every 10 no longer no longer as much as 6 or 7 will mirror the society properly.
How develop you take care of criticisms about your work?
I’m keen on optimistic criticism; you don’t reach at me with adverse criticism and quiz me to be cool with it. I read Philosophy, so I do know the inequity between somebody attempting to speed my job down and the one who desires to bag me greater. A fan once messaged me after seeing a movie and talked about the movie used to be nice and I could per chance per chance well need improved with the audio and I answered with a thanks. I’d lift that into consideration subsequent time I am doing a movie. That’s somebody who wants me to grow. It is different from somebody coming to claim the movie used to be rubbish on myth of my audio wasn’t certain.
Have you ever talked about “no” to a mission for the reason that affirm or message wasn’t true? If so, remark me about that skills and the technique you made your determination.
Yes, I even contain had to claim no to a mission. In fact, I already bought paid for the job, and so a day to once I used to be supposed to head on residing, I kept asking for the script. I instructed the director I wasn’t going to leave my condominium unless I noticed the script. He despatched it and once I opened the script and 90 percent of the script used to be about intercourse and performing intercourse positions and all, I rejected the job. However, however that’s no longer to claim the movie used to be a unsuitable one however it’s no longer true how I contain to establish aside thru to my trace and that true didn’t have confidence my values and my trace. I had to refund their cash and apologise. It precipitated more than just a few concerns that time.
What are some things that folk will seemingly be surprised to learn about acting/the industry that they don’t watch on show veil?
All people has a outlandish personality that’s amazingly different from what you watch on the show veil. For instance, somebody would possibly per chance per chance well play a prostitute in 50 films and no longer contain a boyfriend or be in a relationship in staunch life; or somebody that’s impudent in 100 films doesn’t indicate the actual person has the vitality to combat like that in staunch life. What other folks must realise is that it is very crucial to separate the actual person from the persona that they are playing at every point.
You’ve managed to protect your private life and marriage from the media. How contain you been able to develop so?
I really feel the media already is aware of too mighty about my private life and marriage. If I had my technique they wouldn’t know one thing else about me at all. I yell to other folks the total time if I wasn’t an actress I potentially wouldn’t be on social media or if I could per chance per chance well peaceable be on social media I will true be there to substantiate photos, bag about a laughs and whisk away on myth of I’m a really private particular person. My accomplice has moreover been very functional in keeping our lives away from the media and we intend to protect it that technique.
Are there any explicit directors or producers you’d like to work with within the future?
I would fancy to work with the director who ever directed my first stage play, Rogers Ofime; Kunle Afolayan, Kemi Adetiba, Tade Ogidan and the like. I’d like to work moreover with different neatly-known female directors within the industry.
