'I didn't book it' Geneveva Umeh on going to Nigeria and failing! | Your Cinema - video Dailymotion

Your Cinema

Yourcinemafilms.com | Yourcinemafilms.com | Geneveva Umeh (Breathe of Life, Baby Farm, Netflix) shares how she went back to Nigeria to fulfill her acting career and the hard hustle it was! 😭🙏🏾  Are you ready for the truth? 🚀  ’Welcome to Your Cinema' - The home for entertainment from our culture  Our socials: Tiktok: @yourcinemafilms Instagram: @yourcinemafilms Twitter: @yourcinemafilms

Transcript

00:00:00Welcome to the Your Cinema podcast today.

00:00:03This is the place where we explore the truth about the film and TV industry,

00:00:07as well as theatre, and we hear it directly from those who are smashing it in their fields.

00:00:12Today, we have got an actor who's really talented.

00:00:16She's been in a number of Netflix shows, including Blood Sisters,

00:00:20with Mo Abudu, Far From Home, A Tribe Called Judah, and so many more.

00:00:27I'm really inspired by her grit and determination, and I'm sure you will be too.

00:00:33I introduce to you Genevieve Umay. What's going on, sis? How are you?

00:00:38Thank you. I'm good. That was a really good intro. I'm so pleased. I'm so shiny.

00:00:45Well, your CV is shiny, let's say, because that's all I've done, isn't it?

00:00:53Do you know what I mean? So, yeah. How are you today?

00:00:56I'm great. Thank you. How are you?

00:00:59I am good, you know. I'm good. I'm good. We had an amazing catch-up the other day,

00:01:03and, yeah, it was... I was like, yeah, we have to do a podcast episode.

00:01:08So, we're here.

00:01:09Yeah. It's going to be good.

00:01:12I will jump straight in, right? So, in...

00:01:17Let me start off with something poetic and artistic.

00:01:19In your own words, what would you say it is that you do?

00:01:28I would say that I am sharing what it is to be a human being.

00:01:36That's lovely.

00:01:36That would be how I would describe what I do.

00:01:40Playing a life.

00:01:43Sharing an idea, a moment.

00:01:50Yeah. For people to relate to or to see themselves.

00:01:54Yeah.

00:01:56Just playing a human being.

00:01:59That's what I do.

00:02:01I love it. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

00:02:03Now, you do a lot of work in Nollywood and across Africa, etc.

00:02:10But I want to start from your time in the UK.

00:02:16What was that like for you?

00:02:19Right. I mean, I'd come here.

00:02:22We moved from Inugu, Nigeria, when I was 11.

00:02:28So, I'd just come into the country.

00:02:31I just remember being at the airport with my dad,

00:02:33and I was wearing a suit.

00:02:35By the way, this suit was oversized.

00:02:37Like, the suit was up to here.

00:02:40Like, the suit was wearing me.

00:02:43You know?

00:02:44And I just remember, Mum, it was so cold,

00:02:46because we came in, like, what, December, winter?

00:02:49It was so cold.

00:02:50My dad took off his socks and made gloves for me,

00:02:53because it was so cold.

00:02:55We're just obviously going to meet my mum.

00:02:58I just remember, like, here, like, London,

00:03:01smelling quite fresh.

00:03:04And I think it was, like, close to, like,

00:03:06it was snowing at the time as well.

00:03:08Oh, wow.

00:03:09Everything's not so new.

00:03:10I remember getting, like, hot chocolate

00:03:12and thinking, okay, so I don't like chocolate.

00:03:15I've heard so much about hot chocolate,

00:03:16and I don't like hot chocolate.

00:03:18I do now.

00:03:19I really do.

00:03:20I just, I was like, yeah, I don't like chocolate.

00:03:22I just remember just feeling, you know, this is,

00:03:27feeling so happy to be with my mum, number one,

00:03:29because, like, we were away from each other

00:03:32for, like, maybe close to, like, two years,

00:03:35because she went off before we joined her.

00:03:38And then, obviously, getting into school

00:03:42and realizing that, oh, I'm actually, like,

00:03:45first-generation immigrant.

00:03:47Like, I have this, my accent, oh, I have an accent.

00:03:50Like, I didn't know that I had an accent.

00:03:51Like, and then I then had, like, an Inugu accent.

00:03:54And that Inugu accent is the Igbo accent.

00:03:56So, yeah, just really, like,

00:04:01experiencing what it says to be a teenager

00:04:04and, like, having young people experience you

00:04:08in that space, that culture clash.

00:04:11But what I did love about this place,

00:04:14I just loved how we're all together, finally,

00:04:18and, like, the opportunities that were available to me.

00:04:22That I was well aware that, you know,

00:04:25I probably would not have experienced

00:04:29being in a drama class.

00:04:32If I wasn't, like, here.

00:04:34Because I, obviously, back home, when I was younger,

00:04:37like, you do a lot of creative things.

00:04:39Like, you're in the church, you're dancing,

00:04:41you're part of the school.

00:04:42Church plays, you do, like, contemporary dance

00:04:45when you're younger.

00:04:46Like, there's a particular song called

00:04:48Now Behold the Lamb.

00:04:51I don't know if you know the one here, right?

00:04:53Yeah, yeah, yeah.

00:04:55Like, how we performed it in Nigeria

00:04:58was, like, everyone would wear, like, white gloves

00:05:00and, like, you know, the white shirt

00:05:03and then the black.

00:05:04Is this in church, yeah?

00:05:05Or in school?

00:05:07This was church.

00:05:08But, like, you would perform it in, like, fellowship.

00:05:11And fellowship is, like, the ones you do on Wednesdays,

00:05:14Wednesday evenings.

00:05:15Oh, wow.

00:05:15Everybody, yeah.

00:05:16Yeah, so I knew that I was a bit of a performer.

00:05:19My family were, like, aware.

00:05:21They would encourage me in that way.

00:05:22But, like, you didn't know that it was acting.

00:05:24I mean, there wasn't any formal setting for it.

00:05:28So to be here and to experience the formal settings,

00:05:33and, you know, I think that was, like,

00:05:36one of the things that I really liked about living in London

00:05:39and experiencing it, like, living in London.

00:05:43Wow.

00:05:44So you mentioned culture clash, right?

00:05:49Right.

00:05:50Could you unpack that for me a bit, please?

00:05:53Yeah.

00:05:54I mean, like, when you get here,

00:05:56like, you're young and, like,

00:05:58people don't really understand your accent.

00:06:02So I remember just being young and, you know,

00:06:05like, I remember there was this particular joke

00:06:09that one of my classmates, you know,

00:06:12like, one of the pupils or students in, like,

00:06:15in class, he would say,

00:06:16oh, I remember the first day,

00:06:19and he was like, I think I said,

00:06:21I think I just, I was too nervous to speak.

00:06:24I was aware that, oh, I'm in a new environment.

00:06:28I was experiencing, like, kids be so confident,

00:06:31so loud, you know, oftentimes rude to the teacher.

00:06:34Like, I'm seeing opinions fly left, right, and center.

00:06:38And, like, in Africa, you don't have an opinion.

00:06:40Your opinion doesn't count.

00:06:42Like, you know, what we say goes, you know?

00:06:45So it's very different, that experience.

00:06:48So I remember just being in the class,

00:06:50and I think I was quite nervous.

00:06:52You know, I don't think it's, like,

00:06:54every, it's an African thing

00:06:55or every young person thing,

00:06:57but, like, it was definitely my thing.

00:06:57I was a bit nervous to, like, speak to the teacher.

00:07:00I didn't know how to approach her and ask.

00:07:02And so I, I just kind of left.

00:07:05I think I left the class,

00:07:06and I went, I found the toilet, went to the toilet,

00:07:08and then struggled to find the way back to my class.

00:07:12When I got back in, I think one of the teaching,

00:07:14the students was like, where did you go?

00:07:16Like, and everyone was just staring,

00:07:18staring, looking at me.

00:07:19And I was like, I went to,

00:07:20I went to, I went to the toilet.

00:07:23And, like, that one particular student,

00:07:26he kept going, I went to the toilet.

00:07:28Every time he saw me, I went to the toilet.

00:07:30And he would say it in, like, a Nigerian accent.

00:07:32Yeah.

00:07:32You know?

00:07:33So, like, I think those were, like, you know,

00:07:36I, you know, I didn't realize, I didn't realize,

00:07:38I mean, I was just like, oh, wow, okay,

00:07:40that's what it means to be mocking somebody.

00:07:43And, you know, so you end up, like,

00:07:44looking for people that,

00:07:46or, like, I ended up looking for young people

00:07:50that could relate to me.

00:07:52So I ended up being friends with African girls,

00:07:54you know what I mean?

00:07:54Yeah, yeah.

00:07:55When you're in high school,

00:07:56especially in London, like,

00:07:59one, everyone's immature.

00:08:00Two, everyone's just kind of,

00:08:03everyone's just trying to, like,

00:08:05survive the place.

00:08:06Yeah, yeah.

00:08:07And, yeah, people, egos,

00:08:11you have, like, the cool ones.

00:08:12They're different, like, cliques.

00:08:14So I ended up being friends with, like,

00:08:17the Africans, you know,

00:08:18that we just, you know,

00:08:19we understood each other.

00:08:21Even if we're from Ghana,

00:08:22at least we're in the West.

00:08:23Do you know what I mean?

00:08:24It means, like, yeah,

00:08:26that was kind of, you know,

00:08:29the kind of culture clash I'd experienced.

00:08:32Okay.

00:08:34Yeah, no, that,

00:08:35do you know what?

00:08:36And you say it so gracefully

00:08:37because that is very difficult.

00:08:41And I can't understand

00:08:43that can be really nerve-wracking.

00:08:45Even just, like,

00:08:46forget switching countries,

00:08:47just going to, like,

00:08:48a whole different area

00:08:49and a new place.

00:08:51Do you know what I mean?

00:08:51Like, a lot of the times

00:08:53when people first get into a setting,

00:08:54you kind of want to just understand

00:08:56the room a bit anyway.

00:08:58So what you're saying

00:08:59makes a lot of sense.

00:09:02So, yeah, no,

00:09:03that is probably not the easiest thing.

00:09:08So you sail,

00:09:10you sail through high school,

00:09:12let's say,

00:09:13or secondary school.

00:09:15Yeah.

00:09:16Uni!

00:09:16What's going on there, then?

00:09:20Well,

00:09:20secondary,

00:09:22I mean,

00:09:22you do A-levels,

00:09:23isn't it?

00:09:23Like,

00:09:24A-levels in secondary school as well.

00:09:26So, yeah,

00:09:26uni,

00:09:27uni was like,

00:09:28oh, wow.

00:09:29Like, I mean,

00:09:30I went in studying law,

00:09:32completely different

00:09:32to what I'm doing now.

00:09:34But I went in there,

00:09:35like,

00:09:36I remember just being in,

00:09:37like,

00:09:38the first,

00:09:38you know,

00:09:38the first meeting

00:09:39where everybody's,

00:09:40oh, sorry,

00:09:41sorry,

00:09:41sorry.

00:09:42Before uni,

00:09:42I'm so sorry,

00:09:43right?

00:09:44Before uni,

00:09:44right,

00:09:45where were you at

00:09:47with acting?

00:09:49Interesting.

00:09:52I fell in love

00:09:53with acting in high school.

00:09:55So, like,

00:09:55I was just like,

00:09:56oh,

00:09:56it became like,

00:09:57like,

00:09:58you know,

00:09:58the two hours in the week

00:10:00where I had the,

00:10:02like,

00:10:03the most fun,

00:10:04where I could

00:10:05completely play,

00:10:07use my imagination.

00:10:08I just really enjoyed

00:10:10putting on plays.

00:10:12Like,

00:10:13we did,

00:10:13like,

00:10:14one of my favorite musicals,

00:10:15like,

00:10:15Dream Girls.

00:10:17We performed that

00:10:17and I played Effie.

00:10:18I mean,

00:10:19we did,

00:10:19like,

00:10:20plays like Little Shop of Horrors,

00:10:22like,

00:10:23you know,

00:10:23and then we did improv sessions,

00:10:26like,

00:10:27so I really enjoyed

00:10:29reading plays

00:10:30and putting them

00:10:31on stage

00:10:32and putting on shows.

00:10:34That was like,

00:10:35it was such a joy for me.

00:10:36But I thought,

00:10:37you know,

00:10:38I'm a first generation immigrant.

00:10:41That's kind of a hobby.

00:10:42Like,

00:10:42I didn't really think

00:10:43it was a career path

00:10:44for me.

00:10:46When I got to A-levels,

00:10:48I was still like,

00:10:49you know,

00:10:49I gotta have my fun still

00:10:51up here.

00:10:52So I did a little bit

00:10:54of drama in there.

00:10:57You know,

00:10:58I was selecting,

00:10:58but I,

00:10:59yeah,

00:11:00I just,

00:11:00I did drama

00:11:01alongside my courses,

00:11:03like,

00:11:03you had this

00:11:04psychology,

00:11:05drama,

00:11:06and another course.

00:11:07So yeah,

00:11:08I was still,

00:11:09still very much doing that.

00:11:11And then,

00:11:12you know,

00:11:13you're,

00:11:13you're now having to decide

00:11:14what to do in university

00:11:15and drama school,

00:11:18my drama school teacher,

00:11:19she's like,

00:11:20I remember her name

00:11:21was Mrs. Atkins,

00:11:22love her.

00:11:22She was like,

00:11:23so you're going to do drama

00:11:24in university,

00:11:25right?

00:11:28And I'm like,

00:11:29who?

00:11:30Me?

00:11:32And she's like,

00:11:33completely shocked

00:11:33when I tell her

00:11:34that I'm doing,

00:11:35studying law.

00:11:35Or she,

00:11:36she was like,

00:11:37so shocked.

00:11:39And I,

00:11:40you know,

00:11:41but I,

00:11:41you know,

00:11:42I recognized why,

00:11:43how she was shocked,

00:11:44but I never really explored it.

00:11:47You know,

00:11:47I never really,

00:11:48it's not like,

00:11:48oh,

00:11:48I looked into drama

00:11:49and thought,

00:11:50oh,

00:11:50I can do drama here.

00:11:51I have this dream.

00:11:52I just never looked into it

00:11:53because it just wasn't an option.

00:11:55Like,

00:11:55I knew that my parents

00:11:57had worked hard

00:11:57to get into this country.

00:11:58I had to follow that,

00:12:00that sort of trajectory.

00:12:02I needed to make sure

00:12:03that I get a job

00:12:04and I'm able to pay my way

00:12:05and,

00:12:06you know,

00:12:07you know,

00:12:08make sure I look after them

00:12:09when they're older.

00:12:10Like,

00:12:10so these were like my thoughts.

00:12:13And then I,

00:12:15yeah,

00:12:15and then I just kind of decided,

00:12:17okay,

00:12:17I'm going to study law

00:12:18because law is the opportunity.

00:12:19I get to like decide

00:12:21whatever I want to be after

00:12:22with that degree.

00:12:24So I,

00:12:26obviously,

00:12:26I put in law

00:12:27and then I,

00:12:29and then like literally

00:12:30I get like the day of,

00:12:32oh my God,

00:12:33getting into university.

00:12:34Everyone's happy.

00:12:35It's A-levels day,

00:12:36A-level results day.

00:12:38I get into university for law

00:12:40and I'm like,

00:12:40I can't go.

00:12:41Like,

00:12:41I get a call of feet

00:12:42and I'm like,

00:12:44okay,

00:12:44I'm going to do like a gap year.

00:12:46Yeah,

00:12:47take a gap year.

00:12:48And in that year,

00:12:50I like,

00:12:51ironically become

00:12:52an 18 plus researcher

00:12:53for like young people,

00:12:56advising them about their futures.

00:12:58Like,

00:12:58Jen will call you.

00:13:00Jen say like,

00:13:01hello,

00:13:01so what are you doing?

00:13:02Um,

00:13:03right now.

00:13:03Okay,

00:13:03do you want to come to the center?

00:13:05That was me.

00:13:07Like,

00:13:08absolutely no direction for myself

00:13:10for advising other people.

00:13:12Clown.

00:13:13Um,

00:13:14so I get there

00:13:15and obviously I,

00:13:16you know,

00:13:16the year goes well.

00:13:18Um,

00:13:19and I think like

00:13:20halfway in the year,

00:13:20I'm like,

00:13:21okay,

00:13:21so I'm still just going to go back

00:13:22to uni and study law.

00:13:24There's no way I'm going to study drama.

00:13:25Like,

00:13:26even though it was now like

00:13:27on the table,

00:13:28it was like an option.

00:13:29It was like a thought,

00:13:30but it wasn't an option

00:13:31for my parents.

00:13:31Like,

00:13:32um,

00:13:33you know,

00:13:33I,

00:13:34I,

00:13:34I love them and they,

00:13:36as much as I don't,

00:13:37I just don't think that

00:13:38they were open for that conversation.

00:13:39Like,

00:13:40yeah,

00:13:40the hearing

00:13:41that conversation

00:13:42and I'm,

00:13:43to be honest,

00:13:44in hindsight,

00:13:45like,

00:13:45I think that

00:13:46parents just want you

00:13:47to do well

00:13:48and the order of water,

00:13:50you just,

00:13:51for yourself,

00:13:52you need to prove

00:13:53why you should go down

00:13:55a different path.

00:13:55You need to prove yourself

00:13:57and I think that's what

00:13:57I've learned.

00:13:58so for anybody

00:13:59that kind of wants

00:14:00to go down

00:14:01a different path

00:14:02and your parents are like,

00:14:03you can't go down

00:14:04that path,

00:14:05like,

00:14:06do you,

00:14:07do,

00:14:07do what they need you to do.

00:14:09Like,

00:14:09do you know what I mean?

00:14:09Like,

00:14:10you're young,

00:14:10um,

00:14:11do what you need to do

00:14:13and then prove to yourself

00:14:14that you are worthy of,

00:14:16you know,

00:14:16this path that you believe

00:14:17that,

00:14:18you know,

00:14:19that is set out for you,

00:14:20you know?

00:14:21So,

00:14:21I go into study law

00:14:23and like,

00:14:24that first year,

00:14:25I do everything

00:14:27except for law.

00:14:28Like,

00:14:28I'm like,

00:14:29I'm in the big clash,

00:14:31like,

00:14:31I'm performing

00:14:31for University of Surrey,

00:14:33I'm doing different things.

00:14:36Like,

00:14:36I'm that girl,

00:14:37like,

00:14:37you know,

00:14:38if they say Jen,

00:14:39oh,

00:14:39Jen,

00:14:39do you know Jen?

00:14:40Yeah,

00:14:40that's me.

00:14:40Everybody knew me.

00:14:41I was really bait.

00:14:43And then I just,

00:14:44yeah,

00:14:45I'm studying and like,

00:14:46but of course,

00:14:47that was like the year

00:14:48that I was like,

00:14:49okay,

00:14:49so I'm doing all of these things

00:14:51and of course,

00:14:52everything else is like

00:14:53falling behind.

00:14:54I end up failing my first year

00:14:56because obviously,

00:14:58I'm doing everything but law.

00:15:00And then I,

00:15:02like,

00:15:02you know,

00:15:02in that,

00:15:03in my retake year,

00:15:04I decided to start looking

00:15:06into things that I'm passionate about.

00:15:08I remember friends saying to me,

00:15:09oh,

00:15:10so you liked acting.

00:15:11What happened to that?

00:15:13And I was like,

00:15:13it was like a eureka moment,

00:15:15honestly.

00:15:16And like,

00:15:16I was like,

00:15:16yes,

00:15:18I like acting.

00:15:19What happened to that?

00:15:23And then I,

00:15:24I go into like looking,

00:15:26I go down this rabbit hole

00:15:27where I'm looking into like,

00:15:29cause I was watching a lot of

00:15:29Nigerian films anyway.

00:15:31Go down this rabbit hole

00:15:33where I'm looking at films.

00:15:34I'm looking at,

00:15:35I'm looking into auditions

00:15:37and I,

00:15:38in my retake year,

00:15:39I see this audition

00:15:40for a Nollywood film.

00:15:42There's a series,

00:15:43an Nollywood series,

00:15:44you're auditioning.

00:15:45And it was like a,

00:15:46you know,

00:15:46I just needed to send a self tape.

00:15:49I remember like saying to my friend,

00:15:51like,

00:15:51you know,

00:15:51he's,

00:15:52he was an international student

00:15:53from Nigeria.

00:15:54Now he's my friend by the time,

00:15:55like,

00:15:56he was just like a guy

00:15:56that was an international student

00:15:58from uni.

00:15:59And I'm like,

00:15:59oh,

00:16:00guy,

00:16:00like,

00:16:00come help me record this thing.

00:16:03We're one of my friends,

00:16:04Prada.

00:16:04And like,

00:16:05they both came

00:16:06and they recorded this monologue for me,

00:16:09which I always send over.

00:16:11And then the producer gets back.

00:16:12I'm like,

00:16:13oh,

00:16:13I want to see you physically

00:16:14because I'm in the UK at the moment.

00:16:16I'm like,

00:16:16oh,

00:16:16that's cool.

00:16:17Okay.

00:16:17Yeah.

00:16:17Great,

00:16:17great,

00:16:18great.

00:16:18So I show up somewhere in the UK

00:16:20to see him.

00:16:21And it's like a physical audition now.

00:16:23And I remember like,

00:16:24this was like a,

00:16:25it was a,

00:16:26it was a sci-fi show.

00:16:27It was going to be a lot of VFX.

00:16:30It was about young people in university

00:16:32going to find an ancient thing

00:16:36because one of the,

00:16:37one of their friend's dad is missing.

00:16:39So it was,

00:16:40you know,

00:16:40it was going to be fun.

00:16:42You know,

00:16:43a play with the forest.

00:16:45And yeah,

00:16:46I remember just,

00:16:47and I,

00:16:47and you know,

00:16:48what is acting if,

00:16:49if you're not using your magic,

00:16:50imagination.

00:16:51And I knew I lived for that.

00:16:52So I was doing that.

00:16:53I did that.

00:16:54And he was like,

00:16:54you know,

00:16:55I'll,

00:16:55I'll get back to you.

00:16:57Eventually,

00:16:58I'm maybe like a two weeks later,

00:16:59he gets back to me that,

00:17:00Oh yeah.

00:17:01Are you willing to fly to Nigeria?

00:17:02Cause you know,

00:17:05you can,

00:17:05yeah,

00:17:05I'd love for you to play this role.

00:17:08And I'm like,

00:17:10am I willing to fly to Nigeria?

00:17:11Yes,

00:17:11I'm willing.

00:17:11You know,

00:17:12I pay for my flight.

00:17:13Like I'm not even here.

00:17:15Like the amount,

00:17:16like,

00:17:17you know,

00:17:18I'm,

00:17:19I was so invested.

00:17:20Like,

00:17:20I was just like,

00:17:21yeah,

00:17:21I go,

00:17:22you know,

00:17:22I'm like,

00:17:22yes,

00:17:23I want to do this.

00:17:24I remember like speaking to my family,

00:17:26trying to convince them that,

00:17:27Oh,

00:17:28you know,

00:17:28like,

00:17:29this is like in the middle of universities,

00:17:32like April.

00:17:32And I,

00:17:34I mean,

00:17:35we had like,

00:17:35what I had exams and courseworks due May,

00:17:39June,

00:17:40do you know what I mean?

00:17:41So like,

00:17:41okay,

00:17:42so I'm traveling for like a month.

00:17:44I told my best friend who at the time I'm studying law with,

00:17:47she's,

00:17:48she's like,

00:17:49girl,

00:17:49go,

00:17:49I've got you.

00:17:51I'm like,

00:17:51okay,

00:17:52I'm going to,

00:17:53I told my parents,

00:17:54they're like,

00:17:54okay,

00:17:55will you be fine?

00:17:56But I'm like,

00:17:56will studies be okay?

00:17:57And I was like,

00:17:57yeah,

00:17:58it's going to be okay.

00:17:59And I told my,

00:18:00I tried to convince them.

00:18:03He,

00:18:03she successfully does that.

00:18:04And then I say,

00:18:04I fly to Nigeria.

00:18:07I fly to my,

00:18:09my state of birth interview.

00:18:11That's where I filmed.

00:18:12So I was comfortable.

00:18:13I knew the place.

00:18:14Yeah.

00:18:15Everybody from like Lagos,

00:18:16like the crew,

00:18:17the producer,

00:18:18they have come from Lagos to film in Inugu.

00:18:20So we had done this shoot for like a month.

00:18:23And,

00:18:24um,

00:18:25it was just like,

00:18:26I just knew that I would return.

00:18:28It was everything great happened on that shoot.

00:18:30Everything that sort of gone wrong also happened on that shoot.

00:18:34But I just,

00:18:35it was my first time on camera.

00:18:37It was my first time telling stories.

00:18:40Um,

00:18:40it was my first time.

00:18:43I experienced turning 21 in the forest.

00:18:47Like,

00:18:47yeah,

00:18:50it was my first time,

00:18:52you know,

00:18:53you know,

00:18:53when they say,

00:18:53Oh yeah,

00:18:54creativity,

00:18:55like kind of steals your life was my first time.

00:18:58Not being available for my own birthday.

00:19:01Oh,

00:19:01wow.

00:19:02We were filming on my birthday.

00:19:05I remember like it being 5 PM and like,

00:19:09we're doing this scene where the character's crying with her friends because she feels they're lost in the forest.

00:19:14And I was crying real tears here.

00:19:17Like,

00:19:18because I was 21 and I was in the forest and it was like 5 PM.

00:19:22The entire day was gone.

00:19:24Do you understand?

00:19:26So I was like young and like,

00:19:30you know,

00:19:31doing this thing that was like something that,

00:19:33that felt like such a dream.

00:19:35And I knew I'd return.

00:19:36I just promised myself I'd go back home.

00:19:38I would study.

00:19:40I would graduate.

00:19:41And I will be on the first plane back to Lagos.

00:19:44You need to do this.

00:19:45Yeah.

00:19:46And yeah,

00:19:47I did that.

00:19:48Graduated.

00:19:492018,

00:19:502nd of August.

00:19:51I was in,

00:19:52I was in Lagos.

00:19:54Wow.

00:19:54Okay.

00:19:55So let's get into it then.

00:19:57So you finished uni now,

00:19:59right?

00:20:00And like,

00:20:02what?

00:20:03Like you said,

00:20:04you've,

00:20:05you've jumped on a flight to Lagos,

00:20:07but what,

00:20:09what's the plan?

00:20:11The plan was three things to write a,

00:20:16three things.

00:20:17The plan was three things.

00:20:19One,

00:20:20I wanted to,

00:20:21um,

00:20:21Oh,

00:20:21wait,

00:20:22wait,

00:20:22wait.

00:20:23Sorry.

00:20:23So the,

00:20:26the reason to go to Lagos was to pursue acting,

00:20:29right?

00:20:29Yeah.

00:20:30So given,

00:20:32obviously you've spent time in the UK,

00:20:34like,

00:20:35and not even like spent time,

00:20:36like you've grown up in the UK,

00:20:38right?

00:20:39Yeah.

00:20:40What,

00:20:40what was that reason to not necessarily maybe fully explore it here?

00:20:48Um,

00:20:49so living here,

00:20:51I don't like living here.

00:20:53I definitely,

00:20:54um,

00:20:56felt like there was a lack of,

00:20:57um,

00:20:58a lack of diversity.

00:21:00Um,

00:21:01I would,

00:21:02I would watch television shows.

00:21:03Like I love British television.

00:21:05You know what I mean?

00:21:06Like I love that,

00:21:06but I didn't self-reported on the screen as,

00:21:09as often as I did,

00:21:10as I should have,

00:21:12you know,

00:21:12but I,

00:21:13and then when we did,

00:21:15you know,

00:21:15those shows wouldn't last as long.

00:21:18So I remember growing up,

00:21:20like when I was a teenager,

00:21:21there were shows like little Miss Jocelyn,

00:21:23you know,

00:21:24and like,

00:21:25he had this sketch show where she was showing like different characters and like some of the characters were like Nigerian,

00:21:30Nigerian,

00:21:31some,

00:21:31some Nigerian intuition,

00:21:33some Nigerian phrases,

00:21:35you know,

00:21:36like,

00:21:36you know,

00:21:37being what it meant to be black British was reflected in her show.

00:21:41And,

00:21:42and she,

00:21:42in her show,

00:21:43she wasn't talking about that.

00:21:45She wasn't dealing on,

00:21:46on,

00:21:47on crime.

00:21:48She wasn't talking about like,

00:21:50um,

00:21:50you know,

00:21:51knife crime.

00:21:51She wasn't talking about being a drug dealer that there were very few,

00:21:56um,

00:21:57um,

00:21:58scenes about that.

00:21:59Whereas,

00:22:00you know,

00:22:00now,

00:22:01like at the time,

00:22:02if we then had a show,

00:22:03if we had a black show or a show,

00:22:05a black British show,

00:22:07like the storyline would always be like,

00:22:10you know,

00:22:11talking about like,

00:22:12or,

00:22:12you know,

00:22:13knife crime about a boy getting stabbed.

00:22:15It'd be such a sad storyline or like,

00:22:18you know,

00:22:18trying to,

00:22:19you know,

00:22:20or a bunch of drug dealers on the street.

00:22:23There's so much more to being black British.

00:22:26There's so much to black British culture that couldn't be explored.

00:22:30You know,

00:22:30it's so much fun.

00:22:32There's so much light.

00:22:33There's so much joy.

00:22:34There's so much,

00:22:35um,

00:22:36I,

00:22:37I guess there's a full circle,

00:22:40um,

00:22:41experience about our lives that definitely could have been explored.

00:22:46So,

00:22:47and then I,

00:22:47I,

00:22:48I,

00:22:49regardless,

00:22:50I was still like part of like the theater community.

00:22:52I,

00:22:53during the summer,

00:22:53I would want to,

00:22:55I would,

00:22:55you know,

00:22:56put myself up,

00:22:57audition for shows,

00:22:58performed out with the,

00:23:00you know,

00:23:01with some of my colleagues.

00:23:02And it'd be so,

00:23:03it'd be such a fun experience.

00:23:05Um,

00:23:06you know,

00:23:07but outside of that,

00:23:08when I'm like,

00:23:09obviously on like,

00:23:10on web,

00:23:11on websites,

00:23:12like spotlights or like on star now,

00:23:14and I see an audition and I apply for it,

00:23:17I show up and it's like,

00:23:18oh yeah,

00:23:19this is a non-speaking part you're going to audition for.

00:23:22And I would be,

00:23:24I would be placed next to like a,

00:23:27you know,

00:23:27a white person.

00:23:28And I'll be told,

00:23:29oh yeah,

00:23:29you're going to tell her that she is,

00:23:32um,

00:23:33that she needs to get out of this club without using words.

00:23:37That you're not going to speak.

00:23:39You're just going to tell her she needs to get out of this club.

00:23:40She's your friend,

00:23:41like a long friend.

00:23:43And then you do the scene and you get it.

00:23:44And they're like,

00:23:45oh my God,

00:23:45yes,

00:23:46we loved that performance.

00:23:48We loved it.

00:23:49We,

00:23:49you were so fantastic.

00:23:50Um,

00:23:51yeah,

00:23:51you've,

00:23:51you've got the role,

00:23:52but do you know what?

00:23:53We,

00:23:54we don't have funding yet.

00:23:55So look out for our email.

00:23:56And I said,

00:24:02yeah,

00:24:02I can't spend my life looking out for email.

00:24:05Do you understand?

00:24:05Like I cannot.

00:24:08Um,

00:24:09I mean,

00:24:10also like,

00:24:10I just,

00:24:12there was something about growing up in Nigeria and experiencing this foil over there and like having Nigerian parents or parents that spoke their language to me.

00:24:21So I understood people.

00:24:23I understood culture.

00:24:24I understood identity.

00:24:25So although I'd come into this place and I,

00:24:29I now understood what it meant to be black British.

00:24:32I was,

00:24:32it was,

00:24:33I was always kind of fighting like being black African.

00:24:36Like,

00:24:36you know,

00:24:37there was an identity,

00:24:38um,

00:24:40issue that I felt within myself.

00:24:43Um,

00:24:43so it felt to me when I was young,

00:24:45I felt like I needed to be one or the,

00:24:48one of the other.

00:24:48Like I couldn't be both.

00:24:50Um,

00:24:50now that's not the case.

00:24:52I celebrate both proudly.

00:24:53I'm very proud to be both.

00:24:55And I'm,

00:24:56I,

00:24:56and I,

00:24:57and I show up as both at any point in my life,

00:25:00you know?

00:25:01Um,

00:25:01so yeah,

00:25:02I,

00:25:02that was why,

00:25:03you know,

00:25:03I,

00:25:04I felt,

00:25:05I felt like I was running towards things that I could relate to.

00:25:08You know,

00:25:09when I was watching Nigerian content,

00:25:10I felt like I could relate to that.

00:25:12So I'd go towards it.

00:25:14Um,

00:25:15I,

00:25:15a lot of Nigerian things were happening.

00:25:17Films were,

00:25:18you know,

00:25:19crossing over.

00:25:20Um,

00:25:21during my time here,

00:25:23I did a lot of things.

00:25:24I would make sure that I'm doing theater plays,

00:25:27like maybe at Lyric Hammer-Smith.

00:25:28And then I would also make sure that I was,

00:25:31um,

00:25:32like,

00:25:32I guess,

00:25:33um,

00:25:34helping.

00:25:34I remember asking,

00:25:36um,

00:25:36DJ Abbas,

00:25:37who is a media consultant here.

00:25:40And he,

00:25:41I remember he would like host all these Nigerian films and the premieres.

00:25:46London asking him,

00:25:48could I like assist you?

00:25:50And I remember he'd just pay me,

00:25:52he'd pay me some pounds to come and to usher and,

00:25:55you know,

00:25:55and to like collect tickets at the door.

00:25:58And I'd be like,

00:25:59yes,

00:25:59that's amazing.

00:26:00Cause that means I get to meet like filmmakers.

00:26:02I get to ask questions.

00:26:03So I'll show up at that,

00:26:07do the job.

00:26:08I met,

00:26:08um,

00:26:09Kunlea Falayo,

00:26:10like filmmakers,

00:26:11like,

00:26:11um,

00:26:12um,

00:26:13Fuki Akidele,

00:26:14you know,

00:26:15who I ended up doing a track called Judah with.

00:26:18Um,

00:26:18so like I met loads of filmmakers at the time.

00:26:21And I would speak about,

00:26:23and I would always ask like,

00:26:25um,

00:26:25you know,

00:26:26would you advise somebody that lives here to go over to Nigeria to try to be an

00:26:30actor?

00:26:31Um,

00:26:32I was also,

00:26:32aware of like the,

00:26:34the women in the industry,

00:26:36the people that.

00:26:37So I would always like,

00:26:39I saw,

00:26:40um,

00:26:41at this,

00:26:41you are,

00:26:42sorry.

00:26:42I saw at this,

00:26:43you are it told me Wellington,

00:26:45you know,

00:26:45I saw her be like someone that did her university in Wolverhampton.

00:26:49And now she's in Nigeria.

00:26:50Like,

00:26:51you know,

00:26:52I saw her just really,

00:26:57really inspire me.

00:26:58And I was like,

00:26:59man,

00:26:59if she did,

00:26:59she can do it.

00:27:00Then I can do it.

00:27:01I call her my goat for a reason.

00:27:03Um,

00:27:04I also saw like Beverly Nair.

00:27:05So there were a couple of women that have,

00:27:07that were like black British,

00:27:09even like,

00:27:10you know,

00:27:10that were born here,

00:27:12you know,

00:27:13to perform acting.

00:27:15and now they've gone into many,

00:27:17many other things.

00:27:18So I saw that I,

00:27:21I saw performances that I wanted to,

00:27:25that I felt like,

00:27:25Oh,

00:27:26if you know,

00:27:26given half the chance,

00:27:27I could do this,

00:27:28I can bring this home.

00:27:29I was such a huge fan of like acting.

00:27:34I was such a huge fan of what,

00:27:36how the industry was changing and how Lollywood was going to go to the world.

00:27:41And I just wanted to make a lot of that.

00:27:44Um,

00:27:45so yeah,

00:27:46and I,

00:27:46yeah,

00:27:47I'd made that decision.

00:27:47And going there was just like,

00:27:50Oh,

00:27:50like just share like,

00:27:51Oh,

00:27:51I just,

00:27:52just wanted to be interested in like what's going on.

00:27:55And I just want to show up at events that are where we're talking film.

00:27:59It was all passion.

00:28:01It was all,

00:28:01it was all,

00:28:03it was all.

00:28:04I just,

00:28:04I knew it was very exciting.

00:28:06You want to watch,

00:28:06you want to meet the people that you see on TV.

00:28:08Like you want to,

00:28:09you want to meet people.

00:28:11And I wasn't shy about like introducing myself,

00:28:14you know,

00:28:14um,

00:28:16and I wasn't sure about like thinking about,

00:28:18Oh,

00:28:18you know,

00:28:19okay,

00:28:19so I'm going to this event.

00:28:20I need to make sure that I'm doing this,

00:28:22this,

00:28:22that,

00:28:23like I want to meet this person.

00:28:24I'm like,

00:28:25you know,

00:28:26I want to maybe take a selfie with this person.

00:28:28I want to make sure I ask the question,

00:28:29question to this person.

00:28:30I want to know this.

00:28:31So I would plan my life.

00:28:33Wow.

00:28:33Very,

00:28:34um,

00:28:34I wouldn't say calculated,

00:28:35but I was like willing to,

00:28:37um,

00:28:37explore,

00:28:38you know,

00:28:39you were ready.

00:28:39I really wanted,

00:28:40yeah,

00:28:40I was ready and I really wanted that.

00:28:43Um,

00:28:44and then what else?

00:28:45Like,

00:28:45um,

00:28:47yeah.

00:28:47And yeah,

00:28:48I just really,

00:28:49really enjoyed,

00:28:50you know,

00:28:50just being,

00:28:52having a keen ear and wanting that.

00:28:54Hmm.

00:28:56Yeah.

00:28:57So see,

00:28:58this is the determination and the grit that I'm talking about.

00:29:01Right.

00:29:01So like you've,

00:29:04you're,

00:29:05you're now over in,

00:29:07in Lagos.

00:29:08Right.

00:29:08You're now over.

00:29:10Yeah.

00:29:10Living,

00:29:11breathing.

00:29:11Like what was that like for you?

00:29:16Because you're now going over there and from the sounds of it,

00:29:21you're not going over there with like big connections or jobs lined up or like certain

00:29:28things like that.

00:29:29You know,

00:29:30like sometimes when you're coming from the West,

00:29:32you might feel like,

00:29:33Oh,

00:29:33do you know what?

00:29:34Like there's a bit,

00:29:35I'm,

00:29:35I'm coming back with something and it's like,

00:29:38you know,

00:29:39I'm on a different level.

00:29:39It's like,

00:29:40nah,

00:29:41like,

00:29:41so what are those first three years like for you?

00:29:45Oh my goodness.

00:29:47Like an absolute learning experience here.

00:29:50Wow.

00:29:51Um,

00:29:53number one,

00:29:54there's what is one thing like going for your passion.

00:29:57Right.

00:29:58And then there's another thing learning how to live in Lagos,

00:30:01Nigeria.

00:30:04Yes.

00:30:05Yes.

00:30:08Yes.

00:30:09Lagos,

00:30:10Nigeria is,

00:30:12is an experience.

00:30:13It's like,

00:30:14it's like the,

00:30:14you know,

00:30:15they say New York is the city that never sleeps.

00:30:18Lagos too.

00:30:19It's the,

00:30:23it's the space where I learned to,

00:30:24to stay,

00:30:25to stay woke,

00:30:29you know,

00:30:30it's the space where I learned to like stay vigilant to,

00:30:33to,

00:30:34to just kind of like have my wits about me,

00:30:38you know,

00:30:40but I,

00:30:41I,

00:30:41I got there,

00:30:43you know,

00:30:43being who I was like a,

00:30:45a joy to be around someone that,

00:30:48that like makes connections and makes,

00:30:51you know,

00:30:51same connections and,

00:30:53and someone that is so optimistic and optimistic about life.

00:30:59Yeah.

00:31:00And you,

00:31:01you,

00:31:02that,

00:31:02if you're not careful,

00:31:04it could be a place that chips away at that chips away at your joy,

00:31:08you know,

00:31:11chips away at your spirit.

00:31:12And it's not anything to do with the people.

00:31:15It's,

00:31:15it's more about like the way the lack of infrastructure,

00:31:20the lack of leadership,

00:31:23the way that,

00:31:23that,

00:31:24that,

00:31:24that experience affects the people that live within the community,

00:31:28that will live within the society.

00:31:31So,

00:31:32yeah,

00:31:32that was a hard experience to,

00:31:35you know,

00:31:35you're,

00:31:36you're,

00:31:36you're meeting people that don't really know themselves,

00:31:39that are on survival mode a lot of the time.

00:31:42So if they're on survival mode,

00:31:45they can't,

00:31:45they can't give you a wholesome experience.

00:31:48Yeah.

00:31:49Like I found that,

00:31:51you know,

00:31:52I,

00:31:52I found that I got burned a few times,

00:31:54you know,

00:31:56by relationships or like,

00:31:57you know,

00:31:58just,

00:31:59and then I found that I also became someone that was kind of like withdrawn,

00:32:03but this was,

00:32:04but like,

00:32:05this was like,

00:32:06you know,

00:32:06years later,

00:32:07to be honest,

00:32:08but you know,

00:32:09I came in there like really excited run,

00:32:12you know,

00:32:12I'd work out in the morning.

00:32:13I was like,

00:32:14get my,

00:32:15get the bike.

00:32:16What,

00:32:17what was your,

00:32:18yeah.

00:32:18What was your day to day like?

00:32:20Because you know,

00:32:21like you go somewhere and you're like,

00:32:23all right,

00:32:23I'm going to make this happen.

00:32:25Oh yeah.

00:32:26What does that mean?

00:32:27What does that look like practically?

00:32:29What does that look like?

00:32:30So my parents,

00:32:31my mom and my dad,

00:32:32mom and dad,

00:32:33they're here in London.

00:32:34I'm the only one there.

00:32:35I don't have like family members,

00:32:37you know,

00:32:37how people have extended family members in Lagos.

00:32:40I,

00:32:40my,

00:32:40my family members,

00:32:42we don't recognize Lagos.

00:32:43That's not where I grew up.

00:32:45Like I told you,

00:32:46I grew up in Inugu,

00:32:47you know,

00:32:48and I was like,

00:32:48I'm from Anambra,

00:32:50like States,

00:32:51right?

00:32:51So I am from Anambra States and our city was now Inugu.

00:32:55So like,

00:32:55I don't have any affiliation to Lagos.

00:32:57Lagos is like the entertainment hub.

00:32:59It's like the place where everyone goes to make it.

00:33:01So I really was a fish out of water when I got there.

00:33:04And then you're just really just,

00:33:07I remember just staying.

00:33:08I remember getting the opportunity to stay at my extended family,

00:33:11my big uncle's house in Lagos,

00:33:13you know,

00:33:13and they have a culture there.

00:33:15And like,

00:33:16obviously,

00:33:16so when you are like the person that wakes up in the morning and you're like,

00:33:21you know,

00:33:21you do your exercises and you're running,

00:33:24blah,

00:33:24blah.

00:33:25Thankfully,

00:33:25I mean,

00:33:25it was,

00:33:26that time was kind of fun.

00:33:27I did like a coach that was like across,

00:33:31like there was a big,

00:33:32massive field and the coach would run like his business where he would train people.

00:33:36And I was,

00:33:37and I think that was like a really good outlet for me to like,

00:33:41you know,

00:33:42but then whereas,

00:33:44but it was also the living environment,

00:33:46the community,

00:33:47it wasn't,

00:33:48you know,

00:33:49it wasn't made fair.

00:33:51Yeah.

00:33:52It wasn't made fair.

00:33:53you know,

00:33:55from,

00:33:55from my funding to my feeding,

00:33:57I'd have to kind of look after myself.

00:33:59I was grateful that when I was home,

00:34:01they would feed me.

00:34:02I love them for that,

00:34:03but I would have to like my travel,

00:34:07my expenses was all me.

00:34:09And thankfully I had been saving before I had left.

00:34:13So I was literally living off my savings,

00:34:15like making,

00:34:16so it was,

00:34:18I was determined to make sure that I was getting into the rooms,

00:34:21going for the auditions,

00:34:22getting seen,

00:34:24hoping to get the opportunity,

00:34:26you know,

00:34:26I was happy to get,

00:34:28the opportunities I did get like,

00:34:31you know,

00:34:31short films here,

00:34:33like stage plays.

00:34:35I was happy to,

00:34:36you know,

00:34:36to play in that because it was me performing and that's all you,

00:34:40an actor wants,

00:34:41you know,

00:34:41an actor just kind of wants to have,

00:34:43to be busy in that way.

00:34:47It was,

00:34:48you know,

00:34:48I would get on,

00:34:49there were these bikes called the Gokada bikes or the Ope bikes.

00:34:53And they were like,

00:34:54you were like,

00:34:54you can't put me here.

00:34:55And you could just,

00:34:56I'd get on those,

00:34:57I'd get,

00:34:57I'd get a normal bike from where I lived to like the central area.

00:35:02And then I'll get Julia entered the back on a,

00:35:05on a highway and bikes don't go on highway.

00:35:09It's don't advise,

00:35:10you know,

00:35:10I wouldn't advise it.

00:35:11So you get on this bike and you were like trying to get to what your location.

00:35:15And like,

00:35:17also,

00:35:18I also had a problem with like coming back.

00:35:21So,

00:35:22cause some of these events or auditions would run late.

00:35:25And my family home at the time,

00:35:28they would lock up their gates at like 10 PM for security reasons,

00:35:32which meant that I can't be coming back at 10 PM and knocking on new doors.

00:35:36Like they will not open up.

00:35:37So I had to find where I would lay my head for the night.

00:35:40So it meant that I had to like,

00:35:43you know,

00:35:44ask,

00:35:44I remember being in my,

00:35:46in my play,

00:35:48there's a stage play that we were prepping for and I got casted in.

00:35:51It was called high.

00:35:52I remember asking one of the,

00:35:55you know,

00:35:55one of my actors,

00:35:57like,

00:35:57or friends were like,

00:35:58Oh,

00:35:58you know,

00:35:59can I,

00:35:59where'd you live?

00:36:00Do you live here?

00:36:00Like on the Island?

00:36:01Like,

00:36:02you know,

00:36:03she was like,

00:36:03yeah,

00:36:03I live here.

00:36:04And I was like,

00:36:04Oh,

00:36:04can I stay at yours?

00:36:05Like,

00:36:05you know,

00:36:06it was very much like,

00:36:07man.

00:36:09Yeah.

00:36:09Just like asking for things.

00:36:11And then he would say,

00:36:12yeah,

00:36:12like you can stay at mine and that,

00:36:14and I'd stay at his for like,

00:36:16you know,

00:36:16just so I can,

00:36:17you know,

00:36:18you know,

00:36:19then I mean,

00:36:20that was kind of how I made friends,

00:36:21you know,

00:36:22I'm grateful for that because I made friends that would let me stay at theirs.

00:36:25And we would see that they were hustling as well.

00:36:28Cause it'd be like a one bedroom house.

00:36:30And like the,

00:36:31the kitchen was a write off,

00:36:33you know,

00:36:34and we would eat.

00:36:35Like I was,

00:36:36you know,

00:36:36it didn't feel to me like I came from the West.

00:36:41I even forgot that I came from the West.

00:36:43You know what I mean?

00:36:44Like,

00:36:44you know,

00:36:46the only thing that could tell me apart was my accent.

00:36:48Like,

00:36:49you know,

00:36:49my friends now,

00:36:50like they always,

00:36:52they say to me that I never made them feel like they were different to me.

00:36:57I just made,

00:36:58well,

00:36:58that's just who I am.

00:36:59You know,

00:36:59that was just kind of like my experience of like communicating or having,

00:37:03or interacting with people.

00:37:05So yeah,

00:37:06that was,

00:37:07it was,

00:37:07it was an interesting experience.

00:37:09you know,

00:37:11but I,

00:37:12I,

00:37:12one thing I did hold onto was like,

00:37:14I held onto God.

00:37:16Like,

00:37:17you know,

00:37:17I held onto God the entire time.

00:37:20You know,

00:37:21I would make sure that I'm going to church.

00:37:24Whatever,

00:37:24um,

00:37:26earnings I made,

00:37:27I'd make sure I paid my tithe.

00:37:28I would do a testimony if,

00:37:31even if it was like a very,

00:37:33you know,

00:37:33it wasn't as a big deal,

00:37:35you know,

00:37:36I would give testimony.

00:37:37Um,

00:37:39so yeah,

00:37:39no,

00:37:40I,

00:37:40it was a learning experience,

00:37:42um,

00:37:44for me to become from a young girl,

00:37:46you know,

00:37:47trying to find her way to a young woman.

00:37:49Um,

00:37:50it was just a really interesting time,

00:37:53but it was,

00:37:53it was such,

00:37:55it's been such a rewarding experience.

00:37:57Yeah.

00:37:58That's amazing.

00:37:59You know,

00:37:59um,

00:38:00there was something you said the other day about auditions at the time.

00:38:06And like the times that you had to arrive and yeah,

00:38:11could you unpack that for me,

00:38:12please?

00:38:13So we would in Nigeria,

00:38:15you would get open call and,

00:38:17um,

00:38:17at the time the open call,

00:38:21let's say there were,

00:38:21I mean,

00:38:22there were loads of productions going on.

00:38:23So there was like African magic,

00:38:24like a Nigerian television,

00:38:26like a network.

00:38:28They would have like big,

00:38:30they would have like big shows that run for like 12 months,

00:38:33like a soap.

00:38:35Yeah.

00:38:35People would audition for it.

00:38:36And like maybe thousands of people will show up for the audition and any

00:38:40audition in general,

00:38:42not necessarily.

00:38:43Um,

00:38:43you would have to show up very early.

00:38:45So if you want it to be like top 10 to get seen,

00:38:48we would,

00:38:50me and my friends,

00:38:50we would get up,

00:38:52get ready.

00:38:53Um,

00:38:53at like 2 a.m.

00:38:54Make sure we're there by 3 a.m.

00:38:56So we can write our names down.

00:38:58So we're like top 10.

00:38:59As soon as we write our names down,

00:39:00we can then sit and chill and,

00:39:01and wait our turn until 10 a.m.

00:39:04when,

00:39:05like,

00:39:06yeah.

00:39:07When the organization comes and opens up.

00:39:09Seven hours.

00:39:11Yeah.

00:39:11I didn't even like at the time where just like,

00:39:14we just want to be able to get seen like,

00:39:16you know,

00:39:16and then people show up at like five and then number 400.

00:39:20Like it was serious.

00:39:21Yeah.

00:39:22It was serious.

00:39:23Like it was such a,

00:39:25and then there was like MTV sugar.

00:39:26That was also the kind of like,

00:39:28you know,

00:39:29MTV sugar at the time.

00:39:31I wasn't getting no clothes audition.

00:39:33Nobody knew me.

00:39:34You know what I mean?

00:39:35However,

00:39:35like it didn't,

00:39:37I could.

00:39:37So I,

00:39:38while I was here,

00:39:39I did network.

00:39:40Like I was,

00:39:41I would watch films and all of those things.

00:39:43And I would see who's doing what,

00:39:45who's,

00:39:46you know,

00:39:46which film,

00:39:47you know,

00:39:48you know,

00:39:48when I watched the film,

00:39:49I would comment on it or tell the filmmaker I liked it.

00:39:52I liked about it.

00:39:53I'd also like comment on the actors that I liked.

00:39:56I'll tell them,

00:39:56Oh my God,

00:39:57you're so talented.

00:39:58Like when I saw talent,

00:40:00I would speak,

00:40:01I would say,

00:40:02I would say something nice.

00:40:02Like if I saw it,

00:40:03I'm like,

00:40:04you're so amazing.

00:40:05Like,

00:40:05I love this about this.

00:40:06I love this about this.

00:40:07So I got to like network and people would like,

00:40:10and I got to like have a,

00:40:12you know,

00:40:12have like a connection with people online.

00:40:15So when I got to Nigeria and I met them in the space,

00:40:18I'll be like,

00:40:18Oh yeah.

00:40:19Well,

00:40:19my name is this.

00:40:20And they were like,

00:40:20Oh yeah.

00:40:21Jendi talent.

00:40:21That was my name on this.

00:40:22I'm like,

00:40:22yeah,

00:40:24Jendi talent.

00:40:26So it was,

00:40:27you know,

00:40:28yes,

00:40:28that was how I,

00:40:30you know,

00:40:30would meet people,

00:40:31but I don't,

00:40:32I didn't have enough skills and that I would be like,

00:40:34Oh,

00:40:34can we go for coffee?

00:40:35I didn't,

00:40:36it didn't,

00:40:36my skills didn't extend to that.

00:40:39I still didn't have like any connections.

00:40:41It was just like,

00:40:42Oh,

00:40:42people knew me around and stuff.

00:40:44And then we just go for auditions and hope to get it.

00:40:49And a lot of the times we didn't,

00:40:52but we're just,

00:40:53you know,

00:40:53this is our,

00:40:54our jobs.

00:40:55Sometimes we,

00:40:56for MTV sugar,

00:40:57we would like,

00:40:59um,

00:41:00like book a hotel room,

00:41:02like between the four of us.

00:41:04So we'd,

00:41:05you know,

00:41:05get there,

00:41:05like maybe evening like 8 PM and then sleep till like one.

00:41:09And then start getting ready.

00:41:12Sometimes we wouldn't even sleep.

00:41:13And then go for the audition.

00:41:16And yeah,

00:41:17it was,

00:41:19yeah,

00:41:19it was,

00:41:20it was a fun time.

00:41:21Cause you're young and like,

00:41:22you're just,

00:41:23yeah.

00:41:25It was so hard.

00:41:26Like when you didn't get the role or like,

00:41:29but it was interesting.

00:41:32I'd say it was interesting.

00:41:33Like when we didn't get a role and we saw one of our friends coming,

00:41:35I'm like,

00:41:36Oh,

00:41:36and then we're just,

00:41:37we'll just banter about it and then go,

00:41:40you know,

00:41:40go somewhere and eat like some fish.

00:41:42And then head home.

00:41:46Um,

00:41:46yeah,

00:41:47no,

00:41:47my first,

00:41:48my,

00:41:48my first year in Lagos,

00:41:50I lost two friends.

00:41:51I came in with like two iPhones.

00:41:53Yeah.

00:41:53Two iPhones came over to iPhones,

00:41:55iPhone five,

00:41:56iPhone seven.

00:41:56I don't know how I lost both,

00:41:58but I lost both.

00:41:59Oh man.

00:42:01Yeah.

00:42:02I lost both.

00:42:02And I remember going to my mom,

00:42:03like mom,

00:42:04I need a phone.

00:42:05And she got me a Samsung J five.

00:42:07Like one,

00:42:08like,

00:42:09I couldn't do nothing with that.

00:42:10Like I couldn't take pictures.

00:42:12So I was so out of touch with what was going on.

00:42:15One band in the year 2020 had come.

00:42:18That was like 2020 was like the year that I had,

00:42:21I guess,

00:42:22I guess I earned enough to like buy myself a phone,

00:42:24but I did not have,

00:42:25like,

00:42:26I couldn't even like afford a phone.

00:42:28Um,

00:42:30uh,

00:42:302020 was at the year that,

00:42:32okay,

00:42:32you know,

00:42:33I'd been there 2028,

00:42:342018 to 2020.

00:42:372020.

00:42:38Yeah.

00:42:39I know 2020 was the year I moved.

00:42:42I moved to my first apartment,

00:42:44my little box apartment.

00:42:46It was so tiny.

00:42:47Like it was a living room.

00:42:48Like the kitchen was like this,

00:42:50this much,

00:42:51like this.

00:42:52Yeah.

00:42:53Yeah.

00:42:54Yeah.

00:42:54Like my toilet and bathroom was this tiny.

00:42:58Like my room was tiny.

00:42:59Like if you,

00:43:01if you open the door to my living room,

00:43:04cause you,

00:43:04that's the door you open to the house.

00:43:06Open the door to my living room.

00:43:07And then there's the,

00:43:09there's the,

00:43:09there's the fridge.

00:43:10There's the couch.

00:43:11There's the kitchen.

00:43:13Like it was so,

00:43:14everything was so cute.

00:43:16But it was a pink house.

00:43:17I loved it.

00:43:18It was a pink house.

00:43:19Everything was pink.

00:43:20Um,

00:43:21and I loved it.

00:43:22Um,

00:43:22so yeah,

00:43:23just,

00:43:23that was like my first year going,

00:43:25okay,

00:43:25how am I going to like afford the next rent?

00:43:28You know,

00:43:29and then the pandemic hit,

00:43:30and then it just seemed as though,

00:43:31like the world had closed off.

00:43:33Nothing was happening.

00:43:34Like actors weren't working.

00:43:35Like entertainment wasn't entertaining,

00:43:37you know?

00:43:38Um,

00:43:39and I,

00:43:39and I had a J5 bro.

00:43:41Please be here.

00:43:42How was I going to know what was going on in the world?

00:43:45How was I going to TikTok?

00:43:46If I wanted to earn a TikTok,

00:43:48how was I going to do that?

00:43:50Um,

00:43:50that was just a very interesting time.

00:43:53Um,

00:43:54and yeah,

00:43:55that was like,

00:43:56that,

00:43:56that was the year that I did get my first opportunity,

00:43:58my first audition opportunity.

00:44:00Um,

00:44:00and then I got,

00:44:03I got the first,

00:44:04um,

00:44:05audition opportunity for far from home.

00:44:07And I didn't book it.

00:44:10Like I,

00:44:11I was like top 10.

00:44:12I remember,

00:44:13you know,

00:44:14we had just auditioned.

00:44:15They took our photos.

00:44:16And then,

00:44:16you know,

00:44:18the,

00:44:18you know,

00:44:20the,

00:44:20the organization calls some of my friends.

00:44:23Cause a lot of my friends were on the show.

00:44:25They called some of my friends to come and do another audition.

00:44:29I don't get a call.

00:44:30And I'm like,

00:44:31is my phone broken?

00:44:33Is it broken?

00:44:34What happened?

00:44:35I'm waiting on this call.

00:44:37I'm like,

00:44:38I'm waiting on this call.

00:44:39I remember just like,

00:44:41just calling the person that I heard had called everybody.

00:44:44And I was like,

00:44:45so what's,

00:44:46it's not happening.

00:44:47And they were like,

00:44:48and she was like,

00:44:49he didn't know what to say.

00:44:51I just broke down.

00:44:53It was so hard because it felt to me like I'd come to Nigeria to do this.

00:45:00Like I'd come here to,

00:45:01to get those Netflix originals,

00:45:05those opportunities that,

00:45:07you know,

00:45:08for the world that,

00:45:09you know,

00:45:09come to tell stories.

00:45:10And I didn't end up booking the one thing I came to do.

00:45:14Very heartbreaking.

00:45:15And I,

00:45:16I just remember just by crying every fortnight,

00:45:22you know,

00:45:22because I've been really sad about the situation,

00:45:26but I also didn't want to be at home and feel sorry for myself.

00:45:31So I may add,

00:45:33at the time I'd asked that I,

00:45:35you know,

00:45:35I'd gotten this job to be a PA on a set.

00:45:38Um,

00:45:40yeah,

00:45:41I was a PA on that set.

00:45:42And,

00:45:42and the irony,

00:45:44I said this in a,

00:45:45in a Ted talk,

00:45:46but the irony was that I was in the same hotel.

00:45:50I was,

00:45:51yeah,

00:45:51the crew,

00:45:52I was part of the crew where,

00:45:53um,

00:45:54in the same hotel as the cast of far from home.

00:45:57So you were a PA on far from home.

00:46:00No,

00:46:00I was a PA on another job.

00:46:02And like a class of far from home,

00:46:04we're doing like acting lessons in the same hotel.

00:46:07As the crew,

00:46:10you know,

00:46:10so we're lodged in the same hotel as the cast of far from home.

00:46:13And it was just so,

00:46:15you know,

00:46:15I'm seeing them like,

00:46:16obviously they're my friends and how we're having fun with,

00:46:19you know,

00:46:19we're playing games and all that stuff,

00:46:20but it's just,

00:46:21I'm well aware that,

00:46:22oh man,

00:46:22I didn't,

00:46:23you know,

00:46:24I didn't book this gig.

00:46:25I didn't book this show.

00:46:26Um,

00:46:27but I was still very,

00:46:27um,

00:46:30I mean,

00:46:33the,

00:46:34I mean,

00:46:34considering that I,

00:46:36I got the job so that I,

00:46:37I can take my mind away from the fact that I didn't book the job.

00:46:41It felt horrible.

00:46:42It felt really,

00:46:43I felt really sad.

00:46:44Um,

00:46:45you know,

00:46:45and then you hear things about the reason you didn't get the job,

00:46:49you know,

00:46:49as you know,

00:46:51I,

00:46:51um,

00:46:52I don't know,

00:46:53like I'd overheard that all year.

00:46:55Perhaps it was because I,

00:46:57cause I had,

00:46:57I ended up breaking out a lot that year,

00:46:59like 2020.

00:47:00And maybe the water was bad.

00:47:02Um,

00:47:04and the water is generally bad in Lagos,

00:47:05but like the water where I live is really bad.

00:47:07And it ended up affecting my skin.

00:47:09I heard so many things.

00:47:10And so I was,

00:47:11cause I,

00:47:11I heard it was cause I gained weight.

00:47:13Like it was,

00:47:13you know,

00:47:132020,

00:47:14everybody gained weight,

00:47:15you know what I mean?

00:47:15but,

00:47:16um,

00:47:16yeah.

00:47:18So like,

00:47:18um,

00:47:19yeah.

00:47:20So you kind of have to deal with like the nose and never knowing why there was a no.

00:47:27Um,

00:47:27but to be honest,

00:47:28like I just knew that,

00:47:30okay.

00:47:30Right.

00:47:31I was just happy for everybody regardless.

00:47:32I was happy for my friends that got in.

00:47:35It felt like if they got in,

00:47:36that means I got in.

00:47:37Do you know what I mean?

00:47:38Like I was still very optimistic.

00:47:42Um,

00:47:43also,

00:47:44you know,

00:47:44I was also like very,

00:47:46I had a keen ear to like hearing what was next,

00:47:48what was going on.

00:47:49And then I,

00:47:50I see,

00:47:51um,

00:47:51I see more voodoo's post about a Benny life creative Academy.

00:47:55Like this,

00:47:55this Academy for like,

00:47:57um,

00:47:58that would be specialized on a three month,

00:48:00three months course for acting for screen acting,

00:48:04um,

00:48:04for,

00:48:05for editing,

00:48:07for,

00:48:07um,

00:48:08ask departments for,

00:48:09you know,

00:48:10directing.

00:48:11So like,

00:48:12it was like different courses for three months.

00:48:13And I just decided to put in for that.

00:48:17I applied,

00:48:17um,

00:48:18my goals were to make sure that I,

00:48:20um,

00:48:21I just learn how to act as a Nigerian in Nigeria.

00:48:25Maybe that would cost me the job,

00:48:28um,

00:48:28how to,

00:48:29how to audition.

00:48:30Well,

00:48:30I really wanted to know how to nail an audition and to,

00:48:33to make an audition about the character that I'm playing,

00:48:37not about the people in the room.

00:48:39Um,

00:48:39you know,

00:48:40to,

00:48:41to,

00:48:41yeah,

00:48:41I really wanted,

00:48:42cause I felt,

00:48:43you know,

00:48:44I eventually,

00:48:44obviously doing the course,

00:48:46I eventually learned that I,

00:48:49I,

00:48:50I was probably far too nervous,

00:48:53you know,

00:48:53I'd sabotage myself,

00:48:55you know,

00:48:55cause you're just kind of stressed out,

00:48:58you know,

00:48:58booking the gig that you end up not focusing on living in the moment and being.

00:49:03Yes.

00:49:04So,

00:49:05yeah.

00:49:05And then I wanted to be seen.

00:49:07So during that time,

00:49:09Drickus Volshank,

00:49:11who was like our acting coach was so incredible in like helping me hit my goals.

00:49:18Um,

00:49:18and that was it.

00:49:20And then after that,

00:49:21I just,

00:49:21I got,

00:49:22I mean,

00:49:22I was making sure that I was showing up for like many acting opportunities with a directing class.

00:49:28I'd done a couple of shorts with them.

00:49:30And then the head of directing had seen my little performances.

00:49:33I was like,

00:49:33Oh my God,

00:49:34this girl is so good.

00:49:36And at the time they were auditioning for a role called to main in a show called blood sisters.

00:49:44And they were like looking for the character and she,

00:49:47he just thought to me to,

00:49:48Oh yeah.

00:49:49I,

00:49:49you know,

00:49:49I,

00:49:49I saw Jen.

00:49:50I think that she could pull this character off.

00:49:53He informs,

00:49:54um,

00:49:54Auntie more about me.

00:49:55And then I,

00:49:56I get to audition.

00:49:57And I remember feeling that audition was like the first time that I felt like I was ready.

00:50:04Wow.

00:50:05I remember just,

00:50:06I remember like starting the audition and saying,

00:50:09sorry,

00:50:10can I start again?

00:50:11I'm nervous and I shake it off.

00:50:14And then I do,

00:50:16I go again.

00:50:17And that was it.

00:50:18I just remember living in the moment.

00:50:19I remember that auditioning audition being,

00:50:23you know,

00:50:24being in control of that audition.

00:50:26And,

00:50:26you know,

00:50:28ever from then on,

00:50:29it,

00:50:29that's always been what it's been like.

00:50:31Whenever I go for an audition,

00:50:32I feel like I'm in control.

00:50:34You know,

00:50:34it's not about the people in the room.

00:50:36I think positively about how the people in the room want me to win.

00:50:42I think,

00:50:43I think that,

00:50:45I think that,

00:50:46oh,

00:50:46I've done the work.

00:50:47I know this character.

00:50:49I'm here to have fun.

00:50:51And that's how I like literally,

00:50:53um,

00:50:54approach auditions.

00:50:55Yeah.

00:50:56Moving forward from then on.

00:50:58Wow.

00:50:59That's,

00:50:59that's been,

00:51:01I,

00:51:01one of like the,

00:51:03the blessings that,

00:51:04that I think that,

00:51:05you know,

00:51:06I've gained in my acting career.

00:51:10Yeah.

00:51:11Wow.

00:51:12So then,

00:51:14you know,

00:51:15um,

00:51:16with regards to far from home and,

00:51:20you know what,

00:51:20I love that journey,

00:51:23um,

00:51:24that you've been on in terms of journey as an actor,

00:51:28but also journey as a person,

00:51:30because.

00:51:31Yeah.

00:51:32To be able to,

00:51:33command yourself and not,

00:51:41not,

00:51:42the word isn't,

00:51:44it's not make yourself small,

00:51:45but not to feel like you have to pander to people in the audition and to be able to say,

00:51:51do you know what,

00:51:52actually just give me a minute and then go when you're ready.

00:51:56Yeah.

00:51:57It's like,

00:51:58that's what they want.

00:52:00And it's so like,

00:52:01it's,

00:52:01it's amazing to hear that confidence and that journey because 2018 to 2020 is,

00:52:09it's at least two years.

00:52:11But if you include 2018,

00:52:14it's actually three,

00:52:152018,

00:52:152019 and 2020.

00:52:17And it's like,

00:52:20grinding,

00:52:22being a fish out of water,

00:52:23completely different city.

00:52:25Yes.

00:52:25You're from Nigeria,

00:52:26but it's a completely different city and just trying to make it.

00:52:31Yeah.

00:52:33And then making it because blood sisters,

00:52:37you know,

00:52:37everyone knows,

00:52:38everyone knows that show is on Netflix.

00:52:40It's with Moabudu.

00:52:41Like it's huge.

00:52:42Do you know what I mean?

00:52:43It was such a huge opportunity,

00:52:46such a huge opportunity,

00:52:47super grateful for it.

00:52:48Like,

00:52:49yeah.

00:52:50Like,

00:52:51I mean,

00:52:51it had like the best,

00:52:53like the,

00:52:55the most,

00:52:56like the well-known actors.

00:52:57It had like people that grown up watching,

00:53:00you know,

00:53:00like in the show and,

00:53:02and,

00:53:03you know,

00:53:03people ask me all the time,

00:53:04so how were you like,

00:53:06you know,

00:53:06were you not nervous?

00:53:07Like,

00:53:08you know,

00:53:08amongst,

00:53:09you know,

00:53:09all of those big stars.

00:53:11And I was just like,

00:53:12I came to do my job.

00:53:14And that's the key.

00:53:15Oh,

00:53:15and that's how I feel about work.

00:53:18Like I come to do my job.

00:53:19Trust me.

00:53:20Like my goal is to be like working alongside Viola Davis,

00:53:24but I want to be having fun alongside Viola Davis.

00:53:27Do you know what I mean?

00:53:28I want to be going in with that.

00:53:29Do you know what I mean?

00:53:29That's,

00:53:29that's kind of like,

00:53:31that's where I have the most fun.

00:53:32That's when I'm most alive,

00:53:35you know?

00:53:35So it was just all about like making sure I do my best.

00:53:38Yeah.

00:53:39As the characters,

00:53:40I portray,

00:53:42the emotion,

00:53:43the moment to,

00:53:45to as truthfully as what it is.

00:53:48You know?

00:53:49Sure.

00:53:51I love that.

00:53:52So then you're,

00:53:54you're doing the,

00:53:55the PA job,

00:53:56right?

00:53:57I might be taking it back.

00:53:58I might be taking it forward.

00:53:59Yeah,

00:53:59no,

00:53:59it's fine.

00:54:00But you,

00:54:01you're doing a PA job.

00:54:03Right.

00:54:04And you're with your friends who are cast in the show that you're not casting.

00:54:08Yeah.

00:54:09What's happening?

00:54:10What's going on?

00:54:11How does that progress?

00:54:12How does that situation?

00:54:14Yes.

00:54:15I mean,

00:54:16like,

00:54:16what do you mean?

00:54:17How does that work?

00:54:19How does that situation progress?

00:54:22Um,

00:54:22Oh,

00:54:23interesting.

00:54:23So,

00:54:23I mean,

00:54:24that,

00:54:24that happens,

00:54:25right?

00:54:26it's like,

00:54:26so I,

00:54:27I don't get far from home.

00:54:29The next thing I'm on this job as a PA and I'm like,

00:54:32Oh,

00:54:32so I get to sleep in the same hotel as the guys that get cast and far from home.

00:54:36Oh,

00:54:37fun.

00:54:38And I'm like,

00:54:38okay,

00:54:39but you know,

00:54:39they're my friends.

00:54:40So I still got to hang out with them.

00:54:41I still got to talk to them.

00:54:42But,

00:54:42you know,

00:54:43and then I hear about like the Ebony Life Creative Academy.

00:54:47I go there to do my best job and I get seen,

00:54:50which is what I wanted to do.

00:54:51I get seen at audition.

00:54:53I get blood sisters and it's like the biggest gig ever,

00:54:57ever,

00:54:57ever.

00:54:58Yeah.

00:54:58I go for it.

00:54:59I,

00:55:00I literally show up.

00:55:01I,

00:55:01I just remember like I was getting first class treatment.

00:55:05It's the first time that,

00:55:06you know,

00:55:07it's the first time that I'm on a set and like nobody's shouting,

00:55:11like,

00:55:12they're not telling me to bring my own shoe.

00:55:14They're not telling me to bring my own shirts.

00:55:16You know,

00:55:17they're not telling me,

00:55:18ah,

00:55:18make sure you do your hair before you come more.

00:55:20Do you understand?

00:55:21Like,

00:55:21I'm not like,

00:55:22the makeup is makeuping.

00:55:24There's budget.

00:55:25There's budget.

00:55:27There's budget.

00:55:28You know,

00:55:29there's budget.

00:55:30Like,

00:55:31if you see the,

00:55:31like the,

00:55:32I have a video of like the,

00:55:34when I enter like the hotel,

00:55:36the hotel room and I'm shocked because like,

00:55:39is this me at the White Orchard?

00:55:42This,

00:55:42this hotel was so beautiful.

00:55:43Like I was getting like the same treatment as these stars and like,

00:55:47you know,

00:55:48I'm for my,

00:55:49obviously my goal was like,

00:55:50yeah,

00:55:50to do,

00:55:50you know,

00:55:50to do to me to the best of my ability to tell her story.

00:55:55And then I,

00:55:56I'm done with blood sisters now.

00:55:58And I'm like,

00:55:58thank you,

00:55:59Jesus.

00:55:59I get a call a week later.

00:56:02Oh,

00:56:03hello.

00:56:04And,

00:56:04and it's far from home on the phone telling me to come and audition for Xena.

00:56:09The same character that I auditioned for that.

00:56:11They said,

00:56:12no,

00:56:12you can't do this room.

00:56:13You know?

00:56:16So like,

00:56:17I,

00:56:18I,

00:56:18I'm like,

00:56:19I have serious PTSD,

00:56:21you know,

00:56:21PTSD,

00:56:22right?

00:56:22It's because I'm like,

00:56:23Oh,

00:56:24you guys are calling me back to tell me no again.

00:56:27Oh,

00:56:28man.

00:56:28Do you know what I mean?

00:56:29Like what I,

00:56:30at the same time,

00:56:31I was just very like,

00:56:32Oh my God,

00:56:34an amazing opportunity to show up for this character and do my best.

00:56:38Like,

00:56:39and I just,

00:56:40I remember just taking,

00:56:41I remember,

00:56:42cause obviously to me,

00:56:43I had a wig.

00:56:43I remember getting my hair done for the audition,

00:56:46got my braids done for the character showed up.

00:56:49Just remember having fun,

00:56:50you know,

00:56:51in the audition room and then just getting the call that I got the gig.

00:56:55Like it was like,

00:56:57I was just like,

00:56:58God,

00:56:58you know,

00:56:58that song,

00:56:59Jesus,

00:57:00you love me too much.

00:57:02You know,

00:57:03that was how I felt,

00:57:04you know,

00:57:05and just getting to do it with such an amazing set of people.

00:57:09Wonderful people,

00:57:10beings like,

00:57:12you know,

00:57:12like we were,

00:57:13like playing young people and like lodged in like apartments.

00:57:17So we were like talking,

00:57:18hanging out,

00:57:19all of that stuff.

00:57:20So we,

00:57:20we got,

00:57:21we have this bond.

00:57:23Yeah.

00:57:23Like a genuine one.

00:57:25Yeah.

00:57:26Like whilst filming this,

00:57:27this,

00:57:28this show that is kind of like the biggest thing out of Nigeria.

00:57:31It's never been done before,

00:57:32you know,

00:57:33a young adult show.

00:57:34Yeah.

00:57:35It was,

00:57:35it was such a,

00:57:36a wonderful,

00:57:38wonderful experience and such a blessed one.

00:57:40Cause you know,

00:57:40you like people say,

00:57:42Oh yeah,

00:57:42you get the one gig.

00:57:43And as an actor,

00:57:44you don't know next job is going to be.

00:57:46I said,

00:57:46that's not my portion in Jesus name.

00:57:48You know what I mean?

00:57:48But like to have it happen so fast.

00:57:51Yeah.

00:57:52Yeah.

00:57:53So fast is such a blessing.

00:57:55So yeah,

00:57:57no,

00:57:57it was,

00:57:58wow.

00:57:58I really,

00:57:59a year later,

00:58:00you know,

00:58:01God turned it around.

00:58:03Wow.

00:58:04So,

00:58:04you know,

00:58:05like,

00:58:06what would you say for,

00:58:09because you mentioned,

00:58:13there are,

00:58:14there are like a number of actors who you've looked up to that have gone from the UK to Nigeria.

00:58:21Right.

00:58:22And blown up,

00:58:24right.

00:58:24And you have done the same for other actors,

00:58:31right.

00:58:32Because I guess this is the reality.

00:58:35Right,

00:58:35right now is peak.

00:58:38Productions are slowing down.

00:58:40Some are going down.

00:58:42Yeah.

00:58:42Which means there's less work.

00:58:44Streamers are pulling out.

00:58:46Streamers are pulling out.

00:58:47Like,

00:58:48things are not,

00:58:49not being commissioned.

00:58:50Ah,

00:58:50it is,

00:58:50it is tough.

00:58:52There we go.

00:58:53So,

00:58:54it seems like even just from a business perspective,

00:58:57it makes sense to have the,

00:59:00have the,

00:59:01the,

00:59:03not desire,

00:59:04but the willingness to be in more markets,

00:59:08right,

00:59:09if possible.

00:59:10100%.

00:59:10What would you say the opportunities are for UK actors to go and spread their wings in,

00:59:19in Africa?

00:59:20Hmm.

00:59:21And,

00:59:22and it might mean that they're like,

00:59:23listen,

00:59:24this thing is worldwide though.

00:59:25So there's not,

00:59:26there's no opportunities,

00:59:27but I'm just,

00:59:28I'm just asking.

00:59:29Yeah.

00:59:29100%.

00:59:30Um,

00:59:32yeah,

00:59:32I think the opportunities are there.

00:59:33Like,

00:59:34do you know what I mean?

00:59:35And I feel like,

00:59:36um,

00:59:37I think,

00:59:38like,

00:59:40I just went in,

00:59:41like,

00:59:42I don't know.

00:59:43You know what I mean?

00:59:44Like,

00:59:44it's not like,

00:59:44oh,

00:59:45someone told me,

00:59:46oh yeah,

00:59:46there's,

00:59:47you're going to go down,

00:59:49there's going to be rules for you.

00:59:50Do you know what I mean?

00:59:51But like,

00:59:52I,

00:59:53I mean,

00:59:53you have to go off of interest.

00:59:55Not that,

00:59:56or you're going off because you want to like,

00:59:59you become a star there.

01:00:00You have to be interested in the market.

01:00:02You have to be interested in like the films you're watching,

01:00:04the people you have to be interested.

01:00:06And I went off of interest.

01:00:07So if you're interested,

01:00:09that's,

01:00:10that's your staying power.

01:00:12That's the only thing that's going to keep you there.

01:00:14That's the thing that's going to keep you inspired,

01:00:16keep you passionate,

01:00:18um,

01:00:19keep your spirit.

01:00:20Um,

01:00:21so yeah,

01:00:21there is a market if you are interested to,

01:00:24yeah.

01:00:25that makes sense because even whilst you were over here,

01:00:29you were watching,

01:00:30you were actively watching Nigerian films.

01:00:32And I'm watching everything.

01:00:33Not even like Nigerian,

01:00:34UK films.

01:00:35Like I had to get myself VPN.

01:00:38I watch,

01:00:39I watch BBC one.

01:00:40I watch,

01:00:41I know what's going on.

01:00:42Do you understand?

01:00:43Yeah.

01:00:43I know about you.

01:00:45How about it?

01:00:46You know what I mean?

01:00:46Like,

01:00:47so like,

01:00:47I,

01:00:47I'm just,

01:00:48I love,

01:00:49I love,

01:00:50especially like people of color.

01:00:51Like I,

01:00:52and,

01:00:53and then it's just women.

01:00:54And it's just like cherry on the top.

01:00:56You know,

01:00:57there's a woman,

01:00:58cherry on the top.

01:00:58Like I'm obsessed.

01:01:01Um,

01:01:01I,

01:01:02I love women when I see women like grow in their career.

01:01:05Like,

01:01:06for example,

01:01:07like,

01:01:07okay,

01:01:08there's Wumi Mosaku,

01:01:10you know,

01:01:10like,

01:01:11you know,

01:01:11that's the woman that I've,

01:01:13I've seen.

01:01:14I saw her in the latest,

01:01:15um,

01:01:15Deadpool.

01:01:16Like,

01:01:17and I was just like,

01:01:17yeah,

01:01:18I broke my fist in the air,

01:01:20you know,

01:01:21such career growth.

01:01:24Um,

01:01:25you know,

01:01:25I saw her in Lovecraft country.

01:01:27And now when she's in Deadpool,

01:01:29then there's like Sophia Cornedo,

01:01:31who is like a theater goddess.

01:01:33And then she's done like,

01:01:35there's this show on,

01:01:36on,

01:01:36on Netflix,

01:01:37you know,

01:01:37where she's like,

01:01:38she gets to play different characters.

01:01:40Like she gets to flip goodness.

01:01:42Like the,

01:01:43she's a powerhouse.

01:01:44You know what I mean?

01:01:45And then it is like,

01:01:46then it was Shana Lynch.

01:01:48And then there's women from South Africa,

01:01:50like,

01:01:50um,

01:01:51um,

01:01:52who saw Bedu,

01:01:53you know,

01:01:53who was on like South Africans MTV sugar.

01:01:56And now she's a woman King alongside Viola Davis.

01:01:58I think the market is there.

01:02:00Like you have to dream it.

01:02:01You have to see it.

01:02:03You have to see yourself,

01:02:03um,

01:02:05getting those opportunities.

01:02:06If you don't see yourself,

01:02:08you're,

01:02:08you know,

01:02:09you're not going to see the steps to reach that.

01:02:13Yeah,

01:02:13it's true.

01:02:14You know,

01:02:14you know what you just really,

01:02:17yeah,

01:02:19you really demonstrated like,

01:02:22and you know what is very graceful,

01:02:24right?

01:02:25Because some people they're very passionate in inverted commas,

01:02:31but it's,

01:02:32it's overbearing,

01:02:34but you're very like,

01:02:36listen,

01:02:37no,

01:02:37I'm serious about this thing.

01:02:39You know,

01:02:39like I'm genuinely watching stuff and I'm seeing people pop up and I love it.

01:02:43And I want,

01:02:45I'm interested in this market.

01:02:46So I'm literally going there.

01:02:49And like,

01:02:49it's,

01:02:50it's very graceful,

01:02:52um,

01:02:53which sometimes there can be a fine line where it's like,

01:02:56Oh,

01:02:57that person's coming.

01:02:58You don't want to speak to them,

01:02:59but what you're saying is like genuine hunger.

01:03:04That's not off-putting.

01:03:06Yeah.

01:03:08Like,

01:03:09I get it.

01:03:09Cause like,

01:03:10for sure,

01:03:10like people get an,

01:03:11I remember like,

01:03:12or,

01:03:13you know,

01:03:13I mean it's intuition,

01:03:16right?

01:03:16You just have to like,

01:03:17there's a tact about it.

01:03:18Like you just can't be like trying to like DM people,

01:03:21like as though they haven't seen you,

01:03:23they heard you,

01:03:24like they saw you.

01:03:26There's a way that you need to go about things for sure.

01:03:29There's a way to go about things for sure.

01:03:31Um,

01:03:32yeah.

01:03:33I'm like,

01:03:33you learn,

01:03:34you have to like be self-aware.

01:03:35I think at the end of the day,

01:03:37at the end of the day,

01:03:38when you're like trying to achieve something,

01:03:40trying to achieve a goal,

01:03:42you have to be learning yourself.

01:03:43Like you have to be like growing in yourself because if you don't grow into the person that can attain certain things,

01:03:52then you won't attain those things.

01:03:56And that was a gradual process.

01:03:58You have to be patient.

01:03:59You have to give yourself grace because yes,

01:04:02you know,

01:04:03yes,

01:04:04you're saying that I'm graceful now,

01:04:05but I could have had moments where I moved mad to certain people.

01:04:09They could think,

01:04:10oh,

01:04:10that girl,

01:04:10you know what I mean?

01:04:11Like,

01:04:12so you have to give yourself grace.

01:04:14You're not going to stay.

01:04:15If you were that person that,

01:04:17you know,

01:04:18that,

01:04:18you know,

01:04:18made a few mistakes,

01:04:20that is what we're here to do,

01:04:21to make mistakes.

01:04:23Just don't stay there.

01:04:24Just don't stay stuck.

01:04:26Yeah.

01:04:27I love that.

01:04:28I love that.

01:04:29I love that.

01:04:30Well,

01:04:31ha,

01:04:32Jen,

01:04:32this has been,

01:04:33um,

01:04:33this has been an amazing chat.

01:04:35And I know there is so much more in store.

01:04:39We got some work to do.

01:04:40Yeah,

01:04:40we do.

01:04:41Um,

01:04:42but yeah,

01:04:43no,

01:04:43this,

01:04:44this,

01:04:44this first installment and catch up was amazing.

01:04:47So we are looking forward to more of your success.

01:04:51Thank you so much,

01:04:52Peter.

01:04:52Thank you for the opportunity to,

01:04:54you know,

01:04:54have this like podcast.

01:04:55I've always watched a couple.

01:04:56I've always been inspired,

01:04:58you know,

01:04:59by this platform.

01:05:00So to be a part of it,

01:05:01like it's,

01:05:02it's,

01:05:02it's such a blessing.

01:05:04Thank you for having me.

01:05:05Thank you for having me.

'I didn't book it' Geneveva Umeh on going to Nigeria and failing! | Your Cinema

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