•Photo: Genevieve
Sweet looking and very talented Genevieve needs no introduction. Acclaimed as the best of Nollywood, in this interview with our Reporter, Lucy Eazee, she talks about herself and the future of Nollywood. Delight in one of her rare interviews.
Who is Genevieve outside TV screen?
I’m actually your everyday; your regular next-door girl. I don’t think there’s anything special outside my God-given talent. Despite my shortcomings, my imperfection, God has been very merciful. I’ve been able to make do with what I have because I am a contented person. Regardless of what people think of me, I have kept my fans happy.
You are the biggest actress in Nigeria, what is the secret behind your success?
I have stayed true to the art. I have given my work and my craft all the attention needed to make the difference. I have also respected myself as an artiste and woman. That’s all I focus on and you can tell from my movies.
How do you relax?
My life is really about being in the public eye; being photographed, meeting with people and going to different places. Doing the opposite is how I unwind. To relax, I don’t go out or surround myself with people. I stay indoors and catch up with TV series. I live a normal life like everyone else. I probably do mine in excess because my life is exposed in excess.
Who do you represent? The single mother, or a young lady?
I represent every young woman or man out there who feels not privileged enough, not educated enough, not beautiful enough, not exposed enough.
There was a time you were a constant face in almost all the movies produced in this country. But, the reverse seems to be the case now. We hardly see you in movies these days. Can you tell us the reason?
The reason for the change is that Nollywood is growing and evolving. A time was when it was quantity but, the emphasis is now on quality. With development comes change, and with change, we hope, comes improvement. I’ve decided I want to be among those making this positive change. I’m going to help it improve and in doing that, I am more mindful of the kind of jobs I do, the kind of films I want Nollywood to produce. So far, I’ve been privileged to have done a few features like Ije, Tango With Me and The Mirror Boy. I have enjoyed working in a professional environment and I don’t see myself going back into that mediocrity that we were so used to in Nollywood.
What are the impacts of these movies on your career?
They have made me more famous; and to be very truthful, they were less challenging for me. It was the first time I was shooting in the UK and the first time I was visiting Gambia. The shooting of Mirror Boy took me there. It felt good to play the role of a Gambian woman. For the first time, I wasn’t a Nigerian on a film. I don’t think I did anything extraordinary because, the script was originally written for a Nigerian setting.
Lets talk about the film, Ije, where you acted with Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde. The gossip mill has repeatedly churned out stories of a cold war over supremacy between you and Omotola. Is there really a cold war between you two?
There’s competition in every field even, in the banking industry. Rivalry is a personal thing; you decide on who you want to rival with. I don’t perceive anyone as a rival but a competitor. There’s competition which is healthy but, when you regard someone as your rival, it means the person intimidates you. I’m sorry; I’m not one of those because, I think everybody is unique in his or her own way. All I do is focus on what I can do. I will never try to outdo anyone. I try to continue to be the best I can be but, I’m not going to make someone my yardstick or attempt to outplay anybody for the reason that if I do, I will either overact or under-act. So in terms of rivalry, no, it was a rumour.
When you acted with Omotola what was your relationship?
Omotola and I are colleagues. We are friends in the sense that she’s one of the people I hang out with. In the entertainment industry, she’s one of the people I respect as an actress. Acting with her is always interesting. She is a unique person; very entertaining and you just have to learn to deal with everybody individually. And that applies to her and everyone else.
Where is Nollywood heading, a decade from now?
It’s a slow and steady process and we are getting there. I see a recession right now and there is a change that is coming to Nollywood. It’s obvious. Having had such great attentions from President, Goodluck Jonathan, the private sector, including the banking sector as well as from a lot of people who are coming in now and showing lots of interests, there are rooms for change. In addition, the funds the President has made available to help improve film production in this country shows that change is inevitable. Unfortunately, not everybody will be part of it. This is because the new industry that will emerge; would have room only for those people who are passionate about the craft and not people who are in Nollywood just for fame and the money.
You talk about change in Nollywood but, your recent films, Ije and The Mirror Boy were filmed outside the shores of Nigeria. Do you think the rescue of Nollywood will come from outside the shores of this country?
Nollywood was built by people who trained here. Nollywood is about originality. Sometimes, even the country needs help from foreigners, so the good thing is that these people are not strangers to us. Help might come from Nigerians in Diaspora, who have learnt one or two things and are coming back to impact their knowledge which is a good thing. We don’t have the facilities to improve on the knowledge of film making here, hence we need help from those outside the borders of these country; we need their knowledge on how things ought to be done.
You had a brilliant music video with Dbanj in, Fall in Love. Thereafter, there were rumours of a romance between the two of you; further fuelled by his presence at your birthday party in London. Did you date Dbanj?
It is my private life, ok! We are just friends. I wonder why people are after us. What is wrong with me having Dbanj as a friend? Remember he is a guy and I am a lady so what explanations do I owe people? Look, I believe people just want to talk.
Dbanj is an adult and so I am. I don’t want to talk about my relationship with him and I don’t want to discuss him. I am not going to say anything. I have learnt over the years that no matter what I say, people will say and believe what they want to hold on to. There is no pleasing everybody. I don’t talk about my private life. It’s the one thing I can control.
What is it about marriage that you find repulsive?
I don’t find marriage repulsive. I think I’ve learnt the bad things about marriage before the good ones. There is constant discouragement but I know for a fact that when I find the right person, I will definitely not hesitate. Marriage should be about finding the right person, finding your soul mate, not necessarily, in receiving love.
When you started out; were you ever romantically involved with any producer to get a role in a movie? What would you advise young people hoping to make a living in the movie industry?
I thank God. I’m a firm believer in the thought that one cannot be corrupted unless one wants to be. I wasn’t sexually harassed by anybody except one time but it wasn’t like I didn’t have a choice. I think every woman has a choice. No producer in his sane mind will see raw talent and will not want to exploit it. I just think that sometimes, people get carried away and are too desperate. I’ve heard of situations where girls actually offer themselves.
That’s not how I started. I basically just worked. And in working, I made my point so that at the end of the day you say hard work pays. And I try to improve on myself as often as I can.