mike ezuruonye and son |
Nollywood actor,
Mike Ezuruonye who has written his name in the annals
of Nigerian movie history is a brand ambassador of Airtel and has won several
awards. The father of one in a recent interview with Sun, has revealed his encounter
with a Caribbean girl, his thorny journey to stardom and the secrets of his
acting prowess. Excerpts below:
How was your growing
up?
(Laughs) It was fun. I
don’t like talking about that, but I want to believe that I was born by parents
who could afford certain amenities. And of course, they were disciplinarians.
They also taught me self-belief. My dad always says: ‘always believe in
yourself, always put your
head up anywhere you are to answer your name’. And that has always driven me because even as an upcoming actor I was never scared; I respected my seniors, I respected the established stars and I always had a good thing about that.
head up anywhere you are to answer your name’. And that has always driven me because even as an upcoming actor I was never scared; I respected my seniors, I respected the established stars and I always had a good thing about that.
You appear to be a
two-sided coin in movies. When you act the role of a downtrodden, you play it
very well, also when you play the role of a prince or king, it’s as if you were
born with a silver spoon. What is the secret behind it?
It is the same thing
with most actors. An actor is someone who is able to disengage himself and then
wear any character that he is given, wear it so that there is totally no void
or no space. Just wear it and wear it proudly so that the persona of the
character is also imbibed by you. And you just flow in it, glide and glow in
it. And that is the true actor.
What challenges did
you face when you came into the industry? How did you struggle to take your
place in an industry where you had people like Ramsey Nouah and the rest?
I have said it many
times, there is nothing like taking anybody’s position. In science, we were
taught that one star in the sky is bigger than the whole earth; so it is in Nollywood,
so it is in the African art. You have so much space; all you have to do is
pitch your own tent. You cannot take away those icons. You cannot take away
Ramsey Nouah out of the movie industry.
You cannot have
Nollywood without a Ramsey, you cannot have the African movie industry without
a Rita Dominic, you cannot know about Nollywood without having a Joke Silva or
Olu Jacobs or an Nkem Owoh. All these people are iconic, you cannot take their
place – it’s just not possible. It is like a farmyard, just come and pitch your
own tent so that people will now know that it is you, and you’re an icon for
what you represent.
As an upcomer, who
really influenced you in the industry?
Ramsey (Nouah).
Why Ramsey?
I always loved his
grasp; I loved his act. On the other side when I watch Nkem Owoh, I look at the
comic side of him; he is a down-to-earth person. So, I really loved those two
people, and of course, Uncle Olu Jacobs.
Have you played a role
that later after watching the movie you feel a need for improvement?
When I watch my movie,
I watch out not just for the story because I love the story anyway, I watch out
for the mistakes, I watch out for how I can bring out the best in me. Because
anywhere I go, I always carry a mirror to impersonate whatever character I have
to play. I try to play with my mirror, and of course, I look at what suits the
character I’m playing next. Now, I have given out a little secret and a secret
to upcoming actors as well. Always have a mirror that you can work with.
Generally looking at
Nollywood, what do you have to say about the industry?
It’s one industry that has gone beyond Nigeria; it’s gone into the Diaspora, including the Caribbean. Nollywood has rebranded this country; it’s the best possible export of this country. It’s a window through which Africa is being seen now. So, Nollywood is the best representation of the African art, being and wellness. If you want to know the true representation of you as an African, here in Africa or in the Diaspora, you have to tangle with Nollywood.
It’s one industry that has gone beyond Nigeria; it’s gone into the Diaspora, including the Caribbean. Nollywood has rebranded this country; it’s the best possible export of this country. It’s a window through which Africa is being seen now. So, Nollywood is the best representation of the African art, being and wellness. If you want to know the true representation of you as an African, here in Africa or in the Diaspora, you have to tangle with Nollywood.
What are the
challenges you face as an actor whose face is known globally?
The merits outweigh
the demerits. The challenges are that you no longer have a life; everybody
wants to know you. It’s left to you to now find your inner self, your inner
being, to find those who know you properly and be yourself. For me, I always
don’t put the pressure of how popular I am on me. I always tell myself – that I
should be a good representation for my craft, for my family, and of course
because of the allegiance I owe people, I have to represent them well. I’m a
regular guy and the only difference is that I’m on TV so, that doesn’t put
pressure on me.
Apart from what we see
on the screen, who is Mike Ezuruonye?
Mike Ezuruonye is a
regular guy who eats the basic things you get from the everyday market. He is a
regular guy who doesn’t go out too much, his best companions remain his way
back friends – people who knew him when he was nothing. He is somebody who loves
and always wants to tangle with the commandment of ‘love your neighbour as
yourself’. I have respect for everybody. I’m somebody who builds a lot of
goodwill.
What is your greatest
challenge?
The greatest challenge
to me is always trying to achieve the best. I’m never satisfied. I’m not the
one who’ll say ‘I’ve arrived’ once I get to a particular pedestal I set another
target for myself.
Which film has given
you the spotlight?
Every film I have
done. There are no little roles; there are little actors, so every film is
always big for me. And before I get on any movie set, I never presume I know
too much. That has always been my drive.
What is the most
striking thing that a fan has done to you?
Funny enough, it
wasn’t even in Africa. It was in the US, and the woman is from Trinidad and
Tobago. As organized as the place was, she got a shirt and put it on the ground
and said to me, ‘please Mike, just touch the
shirt for me and I promise I’m going keep it, I’m not washing it’. That was so
deep for me.
What advice do you
have for upcoming actors who look up to you?
If you look up to me,
try and toe my line. Which is: have love for the art; don’t go for the money
first. Work hard, when you work hard your talent will find you, people will now
push you up to where the money is. I used to tell my colleagues that our
generation is taking Nollywood to where it will be, but trust me, the upcomers
– years and decades after – will reap what we’re sowing now. So, my advice is
just to have love for the art, work hard, persevere, pray hard and you will get
there.
SOURCE: Naij.com
Like you baby guy
ReplyDelete