Christian Agadibe

Chinenye Ubah is gifted with acting talent coupled with beauty and brains. But then she prefers to maintain a low profile for reasons best known to her.

In this exclusive interview, the lead actor of ‘Agony of a Sister’ reveals why she relocated to Lagos from the Southeast, among other issues.

How have you been coping since the Covid-19 lockdown?

It has not been funny; it has not been easy. You are at home and not working. Yes, the COVID-19 pandemic has denied me many things. I have marked down few things that I wanted to do this year, but I have not even achieved a quarter. And I just moved to Lagos, I just rented an apartment; it’s heart breaking really. Can you imagine, you just got a house hoping that everything will start working out as soon as you settle down. I have just settled down and they locked down the entire state, it’s crazy!

How have you been coping with the situation, have you come up with any idea or something to do indoor?

I have been surfing the Internet to learn things about acting. I even went to some acting school online just to add to what I know already. So, it’s not much of a regret because I have learnt things that I did not know before about my career.

It seems you like to keep a low profile; don’t you think it’s affecting your career?

I really don’t care. I know my job but I don’t like things that come with my job. I am not afraid of anything. It’s just my nature. I am an introvert and I can’t change it now because I am in the limelight. Like I said, I love my job, I love being in front of the camera. Once you say ‘action’, it’s like another spirit comes into me, and I do what I have to do. But once I am done, I become Chinenye and I go back into my shell. Keeping low profile is just my nature. Up until now, I still don’t believe people know me out there. When people see me and say ‘Chinenye’, my heart skips, and I always wonder where they knew me. Later, I would remember that ‘okay, it could be TV’.

You mentioned Big Brother, why do you want to be on the show?

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I wanted to go for the Big Brother audition and try my luck, because it’s a very big platform. Sometimes you could get in through random selection. It has nothing to do with whom you know. Even Nina said she had not been to Lagos before, and she was selected. So, it’s just random selection. If you are lucky, you get selected.

You are already a star and…

(Cuts in) Yeah, but you can’t compare it with Big Brother. There are some people that don’t know some artistes but they know Big Brother contestants. So, there is something about that reality show. It’s a very huge platform and it adds to whoever you think you are. Actually, it’s something I have been eyeing.

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

Fans call me ‘Miss Younger Version of Patience (Ozokwor)’ because of some wicked roles I’ve acted. Yes, for me, one could look innocent but when you are acting, it’s another thing entirely. It’s not about your look; it’s what you give to the audience. Sometimes people forget your gentle look and get trapped by the role you are playing. Most people think I am the younger version of Patience (Ozokwor) because some producers give me either the role of a jealous lover or wicked girlfriend or mischievous one.

Do you think acting in the Southeast has limited you compared to the movies you do in Lagos?

The reason I moved to Lagos was that it has given me a very good platform. It’s a starter pack for me, I believe. I always say the industry has been divided; the (Lagos) market is different from the other market. The southeast market is different from Lagos market, so you have to break into both for you to be balanced. Therefore, I am in Lagos now and I know it’s not going to be easy for me, because I have not gotten into the system yet. I don’t know so many people (in Lagos).

Are you intending to produce your own movie?

Yes, of course, but you just don’t have to do so because everyone is producing. You have to first learn what production is all about so that your money won’t go down the drain. You need to know what you are going into and not because this one is a producer, that one is producing. You just don’t jump into production and spend N5 million, and at the end of the day, you are getting N2.5 million; no gain, not even the money you invested. So, you have to be sure before you go into production. I am learning something behind camera.