I’ve been asked to pay for a role
Producers are supposed to pay talented actors, not to extort money from young men or demand that the female folks give their bodies in return.
I am a romantic, so such roles are my favourite. Alternatively, I love acting the part of a romantic husband.
Fortune Uzoma is a Nollywood actor and model. He has acted in movies like‘ A jo che ’,‘ Target’ and‘ Brethren’ among others. He also features in the popular TV Drama Series, ‘Super Story’ and ‘Nnena & Friends’. In this interview, he talks about what it takes to get a role, his experience on set, and more. Excerpts:
Weekend Magazine: In the movie, ‘Brethren’, you played the role of a man who later lost his life. What was it like?
Fortune Uzoma: My character in ‘Brethren’ was that of a smart drug lord. An armed personnel shot me during a gang robbery and I was left lifeless in a pool of my own blood. Greed led to my character’s death because, after others left, he wanted more.
This does not mean that a robber who steals less will go scot-free. In reality, the moral lesson is to be wary of greed. On that spot where I lay, I told myself that if this were to be reality, I do not know what to tell myself and God. I was scared within me. Even though the camera and my character work together to pass across a message to viewers, I too learn from the experience. Every lesson I learn builds a pyramid in my life that serves as a guide in life.
WM: Your character was poisoned and killed by a woman he jilted in the movie ‘Wounded’. Would you be that susceptible in reality?
Uzoma: What played out was a cause-effect outcome. In the film, I was emotionally committed to so many women and broke hearts. I also never loved any woman genuinely and only wanted to have fun. An emotionally wounded heart has the power to do anything. In reality, I advise men and women who see it as an impossibility to stick to one partner. It is not right to play with emotions. It is bad to leave a person heartbroken because of infatuation or false affection. It’s important to learn to respect opinions and emotions in order to avoid certain consequences. In reality I am a faithful man who sticks to one woman at a time.
WM: What was your favourite and also your most tasking role?
Fortune: I am a romantic, so such roles are my favourite. Alternatively, I love acting the part of a romantic husband. Playing the role of a mad man, mentally ill person or armed rubber is tasking. My most challenging role was when I played the role of a detective in the popular WAP Super story series.
WM: What are some of the challenges you’ve experienced as an actor?
Fortune: My major challenge is that despite seeing the kind of talent you have, some producers offer roles to people who would pay them to act in their movies. I have gone for auditions where I was asked to come for a script reading, but what next? They would ask for money before assigning the roles. I challenge the Actors Guild of Nigeria to put a stop to such things. Producers are supposed to pay talented actors, not to extort money from young men or demand that the female folks give their bodies in return. Secondly, Nollywood as an industry should learn to treat and respect every actor. Just as Genevieve Nnaji and Frederick Leonard are revered, other actors deserve to have a chance at fame.
WM: What was your journey into the industry like?
Fortune: I scouted for roles for over a year and sent countless messages to a producer on Instagram begging him to give me a role in one of his movies. One day, he replied and asked if I can do a particular role and I said yes. I got to the location, collected the script, mastered it and interpreted just as he wanted. He was happy and that opened a way for me. Later on, other producers who saw my ability started trusting me with little roles of four to five scenes for a start until I became a professional in 2015.