| Fallout of Domitilla
movie: People think I’m lesbian
By samod biobaku
Sunday,
March 2, 2008
|
•Alex
Lopez
Photo: Sun News Publishing
|
|
Acting the role of a lesbian on Zeb Ejiro’s controversial
movie, Dormitila 11, brought her instant fame and stardom.
But it also earned her the uneviable ‘lesbian tag.’
Ever since, she has had to contend with the stigma.
In an exclusive chat with Sunday Sun, Nollywood star and second
runner-up, Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN)- 1993, Alex
Lopez, opened up on her lesbianism experience after she starred
in the controversial movie.
“It was a role I had never played before. I played a
lesbian woman in Domitilla 11. Ann Njamanze and Sandra Achums
where also on the set. My husband found out that I was a lesbian
and he had issues with it. That tag has stuck to me over the
years. I was only doing my going.
In retrospect, she said, “I just smile at it because
it is funny for people to actually believe that I am a lesbian.
To this day, people still see me in that light but it has
not affected my relationships. I am not really bothered.”
She said that her portrayal of the lesbian role was strictly
professional:
“When I act a character, I breath life into it. I enjoy
what I do. I put myself in that character and let my imagination
run. Then I ask my director, please, what is the picture?
I always ask God to give me the strength to carry the character
through.
“Everybody’s sexual preference is their own business.
I am not saying that I can toll orate lesbians and homosexuals.
But if an individual has decided to be gay, it is his/her
life; it’s their business,” she added.
After she did ‘Piccadilly’ a couple of years ago,
Alex went out of circulation. She spoke on her whereabouts.
“Sometimes you just have to take a break at some point
in your life, restrategise and try new things. I left at a
time that the industry was going through a stage and I was
going through a stage. I was growing up, getting mature and
I felt I should try out something new so I went into poultry
farming. It was a success. I am off it for now but I will
return soon.”
Love life
For the half Brazilian, half Nigerian, her heart is currently
vacant: “I like to keep my private life private. I cannot
put my relationship on the pages of newspapers because every
artiste should learn to separate their work life from their
personal life.
“I have gone out with a fellow actor before. They are
human beings. They don’t have leprosy and they are not
animals. While some actresses say that they can’t date
fellow actors, I don’t share that view. It is up to
you the person wearing the shoe. I can date anybody irrespective
of profession but I am not in any relationship right now.”
Marriage
“I will get married when God says I will. I am a contented
human being. I am not desperate about getting into anything.
What is worth doing is what doing well. I don’t want
to rush into marriage and rush out of it. I want to stay in
marriage.”
According to Alex, when she finally finds Mr. Right, her acting
career would not get in the way “I am a family person.
I believe that family comes first in as much as I love my
career. But I will ask him, “what else do you want me
to do’? We will talk. There is room for negotiation.
It takes two to tango.”
Single motherhood
Lopez has a 16-year-old son she single-handedly raised. She
spoke on the challenges of single motherhood. “I love
my son and we are very close. We have a strong bond. He is
16 and should get into the university in October. He is my
best friend.
The challenges of raising a child single-handedly are much.
it’s not easy bringing up a make child but the secret
is making him close to you. Make him discuss every issue under
the sun with you. Even if it gets you angry, curb yourself
because he might not understand. Don’t wait for him
to ask questions. You have to be an attentive parent, you
have to be proactive.
Take sometime out of love to explain certain things to him.
You have to sense what your child is going through and reach
out to him so that he would be encouraged to reach out to
you. My son and I laugh and talk a lot.
Whenever I am on set, he calls me ‘mom, where are you?
What are you doing? I miss you so much!’ He is my boyfriend.
I even discuss my scripts with him.”
Sex-for-role
“Honestly, I haven’t been harassed in the industry.
I guess, if you put yourself in that position, you would probably
be harassed. I hear people say it but if you don’t put
yourself in that position, the marketer or director cannot
harass you. Some actresses are going around and saying it
but I guess they put themselves in that position. It happens
in every industry, it is not restricted to Nollywood. ‘Couch
casting’ happens everywhere.
Relationship with God
“God means a lot of things to me. He is my husband,
my mentor, my uncle my brother and my wife. There is nothing
I do that I don’t consciously or subconsciously pray.
I pray whenever my spirit prays. I am not a ‘Sunday-Sunday’
person. I don’t believe that I have to go to church
to get my miracles; I don’t have to go to church before
God answers me. I could have my own quiet moments.”
|
