Written by Funmi Johnson
Chioma Okoye is one the fastest growing artistes in Nollywood. An undergraduate of History and strategic studies at the University of Lagos, Akoka, Chioma is working assiduosely to build her acting career, which coincidentally led her to her uncle Pete Edochie.
This beautiful Anambra State born actress has had her own share of challenges and embarrassing moments on the job. She tells her story, Enjoy;
What has been happening to you lately?
Nothing much, it’s just that God has been blessing me. Being alive is the best and the most important thing is life and that you can’t buy with money. It comes freely from God.
How long have you been in the industry?
I have spent less than six years on the beat.
And which is your first movie?
Evil Genius.
How did you get into the industry?
Peter Edochie is my uncle and I always go to location with him. There was a girl who was supposed to play a role in Evil Genius and the girl didn’t turn up that day. At the end of the day, I was called upon and asked if I can act. I was honest enough to say I can’t and then they asked me to give it a trial. I was told if they didn’t wrap up the shooting that week, they’ll have to spend more money waiting for the right girl to turn up. So, I was given the script and as they say, the rest is history.
And what was the feeling like the first time on set?
As I was trying out the script,people were clapping for me just to encourage me. The clapping helped to excite and encourage me. I felt I was doing the right thing and that was how it all began. I really think it was my uncle’s presence that helped because he is someone I am very used to.
Perherps if it was someone I am not used to, I would have been over whelmed and may not have been able to bring out my best. Very recently that movie was shown on African Magic and people were calling to tell me that I was looking so innocent, slim and beautiful in the movie that I should go and shed my weight.
So my entrance into the industry was by sheer coincidence. And since then, I fell in love with the career and I want to be doing more.
What exactly got you attracted to the acting profession?
It is the location. Each time I go with my uncle to the location I always enjoy seeing them. Action! cut!, all of these caught my fancy and I didn’t see the job as stressful. So I started reading books, started watching films.
I would go to the video club deposit money there to start waching films. And every film I watch gave me the feeling that I could do what the actors were doing.
Which of the movies brought you to the lime?Image
Slow Poison produced by Emmalex and No Shaking.
Who really is Chioma Okoye?
A down to earth, always smiling person. I love to have people around me and I love to make people happy. Even if they are not successful people, I try to tell them, do this, do that and see if you can get success from there.
Like my aunty used to say, ‘let the goodness go round so we don’t have enemies amongst us.’ If I am the only one making the money and my friends are not making the money, each time we go out, I do the spending but if my friends are making monery also, it will make things easier for everyone.
What was growing up years like for you?
It was fun, I was born in Kaduna and I’m the last of six children.
So you speak Hausa?
Yes, very fluently.
How would you describe your roles in the movies?
Most times because I’m on the big side, I’m always being paired to be sombody’s wife or a mother. In the last movie I did, I was paired with Desmond Elliot.
I acted as his girlfriend. I hate wifey roles because I don’t get to show off the chick in me. Actually I have a movie in mind that will focus on fat girls. I want to do something about fat girls. With three of my friends, we want to bring some fat and slim girls in the industry to act along side D’banj and Tuface.
When are we expecting the soup to be ready?
Before the end this year or mid next year. It’s not a small project and we do not want to rush it. We want to take our time.
We are looking for sponsors. We have finished writing the story and we have given it to three companies. They seem to love the scripts because it is different from the story lines which is common these days.
Have you ever been embarrassed for playing a particular role in a movie?
Yes I have .
Can you share it ?
It was an ugly experience, I don’t want to talk about it.
Which particular movie was that?
That was War in the Church and the other one was The Desperate Girl.
And what role did you play in the movies?
I won’t tell, so you don’t go back and watch it.
So far what challenges have you faced on the job?
Within the industry, the challenge you face is working hard to meet up with the standard of market requirement and also meeting up with the competition in the industry.
You have so many girls and guys doing the same job and if for you want to be on location always, you have to work very hard and make sure that if you are given a job, you deliver. When you get offers and you are not able to perform well, you are in trouble as you may not get jobs in future.
How do you joggle studies with your acting career?
I have not worked for the past two months and that has afforded me the oppoprtunity to read. Besides I’m a full time student and so I have my time table and I joggle the two somehow.
Okoye is a big name in the industry, are you related to Evan Paul Okoye?
No it is just a coincidence.
How real is sexual harrassment in Nollywood?
There are some things that people do not understand. For instance there is this friend of mine dating a producer and if this producer is working, she is in the movie.
Of course the producer will not leave the girlfriend to go and call somebody else for a movie when he wants the best for the girl.
At least when she is making money, she will not have to rely on you for everything. People will now translate that kind of a situation to sleeping to get roles, I realy don’t know how to explain this.
But are there situations where a producer will refuse to give a girl a role because she refused to sleep with them?
It is possible, very possible.
Have you ever been sexually harrassed?
I have heard people talk about it but it has not happened to me.
Who is that lucky guy in your life right now?
I don’t want to tell you my guy’s name, I don’t want to go into that because that is private.
Is he in the movie industry?
No he is not in the movie industry.
Does he watch your movies?
Yes he does.
How does he feel when you are being hugged and kissed on set?
Every man has an atom of jealousy in him. What I do is that each time I’m watching that part, I will quickly condemn the man I’m doing it with on set first so he would be left with nothing to say. Any way its all make believe and my husband understands its part of the job.
Who is your kind of man?
God fearing man because when a man has the fear of God in him, everything in that person will be positive.
Is your guy romantic?
When you have a man who has the fear of God in him, he will be romantic. You know if you are close to God, you can always tell him God, this man is not sexy, please make him sexy for me. The only thing I ask God is please give me the right man.
So can you say that this your guy is the right man?
I asked God for that till the day he knocks at the door. And if that happens, I will know he is the right man because I just made a request. And until the request is answered, I have nothing more to say.
What is the craziest thing a fan has said to you?
Wao you look so sexy! That day I went for a friend’s birthday at a Chinese Restaurant and I was wearing a tube gown. The way he said it was as if he saw a ghost, I just smiled.
How do you feel when you watch yourself on set?
I always want to do more. Most of the time I condemn myself. Oh, Chioma you should have done this, you should have done that. And because I want to be perfect in my profession. I want people to clap for me each time I star in a new role.
Were your parents supportive when you went into acting?
It was a big war because we were all born in the North and you know the way they reason over there. But Uncle Pete Edochie had to intervene and with time they let me be and today they are very proud of me, especially my mother.
So how do you feel with these special endowments God has given you?
Each time I wake up in the morning, I tell God, thank you very much. Because without the boobs and hips, I don’t know where I would have been because whatever I put on fits me.
When I’m dressing up, the way I will look at myself in the mirror, my friends will shout at me, e don do, Chioma dress up fast.
I love my hips and my breast. because that is the koko. If you don’t have these things anything you wear will not stand out on you.I want to shed some weight but not the boobs and my hips.
What is one good thing stardom has done to you?
It has opened doors for me
What don’t you like about stardom?
Lack of privacy.
What is your highest pay?
The pay is very good. Also your bargaining power matters a lot.
Who is your role model?
Joke Sylva because she is a woman that is scandal free, her marriage is working well for her, she speaks well and she is very intelligent. My male role model is my uncle Pete Edochie.
Are you a designer freak?
Yes I am and my designer is Prada.
What about jewelery?
I’m not too much into that but I love gold a lot.
What about shoes?
I love high heeled shoes because I’m on the big side. The shoes make my steps graceful when I’m on them.
What is your favourite food?
Eba and Okro soup.
How do you unwind?
I unwind by gisting with my friends and relatives in my house.
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