Nollywood big girl Kate Henshaw - Nuttal speaks on ‘quarrel’ with Stella Damasus - Aboderin 3/2/2007

For the most part of year 2006, top Nollywood actress and National Public Relations Officer of the Ejike Asiegbu-led Actors Guild of Nigeria, Kate Henshaw-Nuttal, paid the price of blind trust when she was witch hunted and eventually easedout of the EMNET series; Doctors’ Quaters for daring to protest what she perceived as ill- treatment of her director and other artistes on the set of that South African project.

On what happened in South Africa

"I have moved on in life. As one grows in life, new lessons are learnt either through events or circumstances. As an artiste, I have learnt to be professional. Not to let sentiment come into anything. I knew the director years back before Doctors’ Quarters and it was surprising that he had to change in that manner. That goes to say that one should be professional in all that one does and let every thing be spelt out. I learnt a lesson, they must have learnt a lesson as well, so that they know how not to treat people. I guess that lessons were learnt on both sides but I will keep business, business and friendship, friendship. Because all that I signed was for me to get my payment, I did not sign work hours, and I learnt that if nothing is signed , it is then not binding.

It’s a new year and Kate says all that had been put behind her like a bad dream. "This year, I started out with a presentation for Sound City in a new programme called City Divas where I already shot thirteen episodes. I also stared in an RMD and Stella Damasus’ production, directed by Moses Omoefe". When this reporter spoke with her on the set of a Moses Ebere film shooting at the water side end of the Raji Rasaki estate in FESTAC, her usual warm and comradeship are quite un assuming as this chat continues, beginning with her beauty regime. Kate, who claims she eats once in a day, says "this body is my worship. It is here that I earn my living and so I must keep it relevant at all times".

On her quarrel with Stella Damasus-Aboderin

Laughing, she said the rumour about her quarrel with her close friend ,Stella Damasus-Aboderin is not true. "I was with Stella just last year, we had drinks together and like I said earlier, I just starred in her film last week. So, I don’t know where the stories are coming from. I heard about it, somebody called me on the phone, I think in September last year and I told them I was very busy on location and that I don’t have time to talk about such things. Shortly after, I heard about it and called Stella and you know, we both laughed over it. We have been at different locations together and people see us, so there is no rancor at all.

"I have been very busy, I have travelled out of the country like five times last year she (Stella) has been around doing her business and music and we keep talking on the phone. It doesn’t mean we have to be seeing each other all the time, I am busy and she is busy too"

On the new film she’s starring in

On the set of this new flick, Kate Henshaw, plays the quarrelsome school girl who alongside her sister is a cause of concern for their parent as she often fights and gets her school uniform torn almost every day. Watching Kate play that character, one would be curious to find out if this mother of one was indeed not rascally as a young girl, incidentally, it was not the first time that Kate herself would be perceived in that light. Her response; "funny enough, people say Kate, you must have been very wild. Ask my mum, I can give you her number so you can talk to her. She does tell me that as a child, I hardly cried. I did not cry at all so, she didn’t even know when I was hungry, I was a very good and nice child"

You mean to say that you were not naughty at all? Sounding more serious, she said, "I was not! Would you want to speak to my mum? I will call her for you to speak to her and what ever she said, you can write it.’ She said, searching her bag for her mobile phone.

You do not know how much revelation of an actor you get watching a film in its making. Little wonder that stage plays have been adjudged the best way to know who a professional artiste is. Playing the naughty, fighting spoilt brat, the way Kate’s eyes balls twitch in their socket reveals great mischief. Her legs, as she stood akimbo in that pair of school sandals reminded you of those stubborn barrack schools girls known for climbing trees and fighting the boys.

But where did she learn all the traits from? "You watch films, you watch children on the road, and you watch people. Life is all about observation. Life is learning, by the time you wake up, go out and come back, you have learnt a thing or two."

On her marriage

Talking about married life, the beautiful actress who is married to a white man challenges this writer to see for himself. "I am very happy". Asked if her six-year old daughter, Gabrielle is not due for a brother or sister, Mrs. Nuttal said "God is faithful, in His time, every thing will be perfect." She however did not shy away from the fact that her job as an actress is part of the treason a second child had not been worked out. Isn’t her husband complaining? Isn’t he eager to have another child by her, especially a male child? Her response was sharp. "My husband? No way! He is not complaining at all. People keep telling me, you are lucky you married an oyinbo man, if na naija man you for don drop three by now’. How lonely can Gabrielle be without a sibling? That poor girl must be in need of a sibling. "Yes" the mother agreed, saying "I remember that she watched one programme on TV and said mummy look at that boy, that’s the boy I want for my brother and I told her I ‘ll see what I can do about it"(laughs). "She has already given the specification. Like say na motto", she joked.

As the logistic director of the prestigious Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), she spoke with high hopes about the third edition of the event coming up in the first week of March. "This year’s AMAA is going to be better. Last year, you were there, I was there and you would agree that it was an improvement on the first edition. So we expect bigger and better things and of course we are very happy that the Bayelsa state government has decided to stick with us and ensure that we have a better outing come March 10, 2007."