Me, a lesbian? I love men! –Rita Dominic

Rita Dominic (Picture by Sola Osofisan)

You have been out of town for some time.

Oh yes. I have been in Jos, shooting a movie. It is actually an Amstel Malta Box Office movie directed by Izu Ojukwu. It has been very tough.

Did you audition for the part or you were just given the role?

Come on! I don’t audition for movies again. I can’t remember the last time I auditioned. Those days are long gone.

You lost your father not too long ago…

Yes, and it was very sad. I loved my father so much. I am the last child and, as you know, most last children are usually close to their parents.

But how come your colleagues didn’t come for his burial? Was it a planned thing?

No. It wasn’t like that. Some of them came. Then again, I was in England when my father died. Just as I came back, I went to the village in preparation for the burial. I didn’t have time to make it officially known to my colleagues. But some of them came, and those who couldn’t come extended their sympathy.

What do you miss most about your father?

I think it is personal. I don’t think I want to talk about it on the pages of newspaper.

Have you always wanted to be an actress?

Oh yes. I don’t think I can remember a time in my life I never wanted to be an actress. Right from the time I was in primary school, I was always featuring in kiddies drama. During my secondary school days, I was a social prefect; I was vice-president of the dramatic club. In fact, I knew I was going to be an actress.

So your eyes were wide open when you decided to study Theatre Arts at the university.

Yes. It wasn’t by chance that I chose the course. My family knew that was my dream. I have always been an entertainer. When we were growing up, my friends would say they would want to be doctors, others would say they would want to be lawyers. But I always said I would be an actress. They would look at me as if I was committing a taboo. But I was unfazed. Now they are happy for me and congratulate me that I followed my dream.

For somebody who had a doctor for father, were your parents comfortable when you decided to go professional?

The truth is that I didn’t have any problem from anybody. I am not from that kind of family. They allowed us to follow our desires in life.

It was like you didn’t take a break. Almost immediately after your graduation, you went into full time acting.

Yes. It was by accident though. I ran into Basorge one day and he told me he was doing a movie, and he was looking for a fresh face. He asked me if I was interested. I agreed and we exchanged details. Two weeks after, he contacted me. That was how my journey began in the make-belief world.

Were you a success instantly?

I would say, kind of. I want to believe so. While my first project was being edited, a producer called and said he wanted me to be in his movie. I played the lead role again. From then on, I played lead roles till I left the industry for a while.

Why?

I was out of the country for some time.

You have done a thousand and one movies, which one do you think projected you most?

I have not done a thousand and one movies; I have not even done a hundred movies. I can’t really say a particular movie shot me up. All the very popular movies were released almost at the same time, so I can’t say which one made me popular.

Do you draw a line between Rita Dominic, the actress and Rita Dominic, the young lady?

As a matter fact, I try as much as possible to keep my personal life out of my career. That is not a question I will answer now.

So, you don’t see any role as awkward, you can do love scenes?

Oh yes. I am an actress. An actress should play any role, as long as it is an interesting character.

How come you have not thought of equipping yourself more by going to a school of directing or such others, as some of your colleagues are doing?

I am putting one or two things in place in terms of my acting skills. People will soon notice that there is a change in my acting style. I don’t have to publicise it that I have gone for training some place. I don’t think it is necessary. It is just for the public to notice that there is a change in the way I act, and not for me to tell them that I went for training.

In your movies, you seem to do more of the spoilt, rich girl roles. It seems you are stereotyped.

That means you have not been watching most of my movies. Yes I have done these kinds of roles you are talking about, but I have done many other roles as well. In fact, one movie I know that I did very well was the one I acted a village girl. I play everything as long as it is challenging and you can pass on a message through that role. That is actually the most important thing.

These days, actors are turning into musicians. When are you releasing your own album?

No way. I am not a musician. I am an actress. I don’t sing. I can only sing in my bathroom. Professionally, it is not for me.

It is believed that actresses live a fake life.

What do you mean by fake?

I mean they try to live above their means, and they allow stardom to get in their head.

I am not aware of that. With me, I believe that as you grow in life, there are certain things you will get used to. I can’t talk about other people. I only know myself and I know I don’t live a fake life.

You are well over 30, how come you are not married?

Do you know what? I have always wondered why our society is so preoccupied with the issue of marriage. I don’t know why this question is always persistent in interviews.

But it is expected that a young girl should marry when she is ripe…

I think the most important thing we should talk about is actors’ career and not their personal lives. It is personal. I will get married in my own time and nobody will dictate to me when I should be married. If you are nice to me, I will give you an invitation card.

But when you eventually marry and he tells you to quit acting, would you?

No way! I think the importance given to marriage is what makes it survive or not. There is so much pressure and they enter into this lifelong contract, and they end up unhappy. Why would I want to do that to myself? I am going to do what makes me happy. I am not going to succumb to the pressure of ‘Oh when is she going to get married?’ and all that. I will do it in my own time.

 
So, you are not going to get married to please other people?

No way! Are you going to get married to please other people? I ask you. You will get married to please yourself and make your husband happy.

Can you marry an actor?

Why not? As for taking care of the home front, since we do the same kind of jobs, somehow we will compromise and take care of the house.

Actors are usually associated with a lot of scandals, how do you cope?

It is expected that if you are in the public eye, people will definitely talk about you. I don’t think it has anything to do with just being an actor. If you are popular in every industry, people will talk about you.

Back to your career for now, is there any chance that you will diversify, like becoming a director or producer?

I might become a producer much later in life, not now. At one point in my life, I will think of producing a movie.

Artistes pocket so much money now as fees. How much do you charge these days?

You, how much is your salary? I will not discuss that with you, just as you will not tell me how much you are being paid in your office.

We have so many actors and actresses in the movie industry. Do you think it is a good thing?

Not really.

Why do you say so?

Most people coming into the industry are not real actors. They don’t have respect for the work they are doing. I know some of them have the talent, but you ought to go for a course. It is like that in Hollywood.

But are you not saying this because you are scared that these new faces will take the shine off you?

How can? That is not possible. The industry is big enough to take everybody, Competition is a healthy thing. It is good for the industry. All I am saying is that the upcoming ones should come in with something. They should have the talent and the training as well.

As for taking the shine off me, everybody has his or her own strength.

Do you think you have a rival?

I don’t have any rival.

What has acting done for you?

It makes me happy. It has broadened my horizon. I did a film in England and my eyes were completely opened. The experience I got there was different from what I have been used to here.

So, Nollywood is not there yet?

You cannot compare the resources they have out there to what we have. Hollywood has enough resources; we don’t have such.

What is your dream?

I am going to be somewhere that is bigger than Nollywood and Hollywood by the grace of God.

You have won some awards. How does it feel to be recognised and appreciated?

It is one thing to be recognised and appreciated, and another thing to be accepted. That is where I am lucky. My fans have accepted me and they appreciate my work. I am very grateful.

How come your name is always linked with Monalisa Chinda, the actress?

I don’t understand you.

Is it true that both of you are always at loggerheads?

I am not aware of that. As far as I am concerned, there is no feud. We were good friends in our university days, though at some point we drifted apart. We are colleagues now.

But we learnt you were envious of her career…

Why should I be? That is a lie!

Are you debunking the rumour that you are envious of her marriage?

Excuse me. What are you talking about. For God’s sake, I don’t have any problem with anybody. Please, can we talk about another thing? Like I said, there is no problem between me and anybody as far as I am concerned. We are just colleagues now, and I think that is the extent of our relationship.

So, you can do a movie with her?

Sure, why not? I have worked with her; I have been working with her.

Of all your movies, do you have a favourite?

I have a number of them. I do watch my movies. I don’t fall into the category of artistes who do not watch their movies.

Is there a particular movie you did that you wished you never featured in it?

Not really. I don’t think I regret any work I have done.

Do you choose scripts or do you take any script that comes your way?

Come on! I don’t do that. I read scripts and I make up my mind if I want to do the story or not. There has to be a challenge, the story has to be good before I take it. In fact, I won’t lie; I have been looking for a more challenging movie instead of the run of the mill character.

We hear a lot of bizarre things happening in your industry…

Like what?

Like same sex relationships, drugs…

I don’t make it a point to talk about other peoples’ sexual preferences or whatever. I cannot really comment on it. If it is true that people are demanding sex for roles, if it is true that people are practising same sex relationship, then it is not a good thing. I think it is a very wrong thing and they should stop doing such.

But we hear that you are a lesbian…

Gosh! I love men! I love men! I think this rumour started when I featured in a movie Last Wedding, and then Girls Cot. In those movies, I played the role of a lesbian and I think I played it well. I was just doing my job. I was just acting. I am not a lesbian, never!

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