–Frank Artus

BY CHRISTIAN AGADIBE

With the kind of roles he plays in movies, not many will believe that the talented and handsome Frank Artus is quiet and introversive. But that’s the truth. Born to an Egyptian father and Liberian mother, Artus achieved stardom through Nigerian movies. And now, Lagos is like a home to him. In this interview, the light- skinned actor reveals how female fans often pester entertainers for sex as well as his plan of producing movies alongside his daughter.

Who is the real Frank Artus?

Frank Artus is a quiet and intelligent person by nature. He is more like an introvert; I’m not a sociable kind of person. I always stay indoor. I go out once in a while. Somebody met me one day and said: ‘Please, Frank, take me to this club’. Then I said: ‘I don’t know’. He was like ‘you live in Ghana and you don’t know?’

What movie are you currently working on?

I just finished shooting five movies, and I’m starting my own production. For the first time, I’m doing a production with my own daughter. That’s going to be coming out very soon.

We are surprised to hear that you have a daughter. Did you have a secret marriage?

I don’t like to discuss my relationship in the public. I’m cool with that but I do have a daughter.

How do you feel bringing your daughter into entertainment?

I encourage my children to do whatever they desire, provided I’m going to guide them. I tell my children the positive and negative sides of everything. And I will guide them through it.

How do you feel being a father?

I feel awesome. Responsibility is huge (laughs), sometimes it is choking but at the end of the day, you will get to enjoy it, most especially when you see that your children are doing extremely well in school.

Does your daughter miss you if you are shooting in a faraway location?

As I’m talking to you, they are missing me and they really want to talk to me right now.

What do you like about the character you are playing in the movie you are shooting right now?

The movie has to do with domestic vio- lence. The reason I like the character is be- cause it’s not just the normal character that I play in a movie. It is completely different and that is why I added a lot of weight, I needed to look kind of chubby or fat.

What is your greatest achievement in Nollywood?

My greatest achievement is having many fans. When I go to places, people tend to recognise me. I think that is one of the greatest things I have achieved. Before coming to Nollywood, I would go to places and people would not recognise me. But now they recognise me any where I go.

What is the craziest thing a fan has done to you?

Two of my fans in America tattooed my name on the back of their hands. I actually thought it was a fake tattoo, but later I realised it was real. And guess what, it’s not just a small tattoo; it is huge.

What is the craziest thing a female fan has done to you?

Apart from always demanding sex from you as an entertainer, which you don’t have to give them, you have to work with the flow. It is not as if you are going to tell them that what they want
is what you are going to give them, but you have to be very flexible with them in their demands, because they are fans and they are the ones who keep you in the market.

Do you have tattoos on your body?

No. I don’t have tattoos on me. Though, it’s nice; I like it, I don’t have it on my body.

What makes a good actor?

Being committed to work; no matter what, just keep your head up and stay committed to what you want to do. Be persistent, don’t lose focus on what you want to achieve and where you want to see yourself in the next 10 years.

A lot of fans look up to you. What advice would you give to them?

I will advise them not to copy what I do in movies. What I act in movies is not the real me. There is a difference between what I do on screen and my personal life. Frank is a crazy guy on screen and everybody knows that, so they should try and follow my personal lifestyle and not what I do in movies.

Your fans see you as a sex symbol. Did you set out to be a sex symbol?

Obviously not, sometimes my friend will say ‘people see you like this but they don’t even know you’. That is how it should be. And that is why I don’t want the youth to look at me as such. And that’s why I said they shouldn’t copy what I do in movies. No, that is not me, it is just a character.

Can you act nude?

It depends on the script. There should be a reason for it.

A woman recently accused you of defrauding her, what do you have to say?

She has already apologised, so there is no need to comment on it.