Genevieve Nnaji - I can't Return To The Mediocrity That Characterised Nollywood In The Past

Genevieve Nnaji is one of Nollywood’s best actresses. She is also one of the few highest grossing stars. She possesses a face and body that not only sell movies, but make the opposite drool at any appearance. Genevieve Nnaji rates as one of Africa’s most desired actresses.

Just 15 years ago, she delved into the movie industry for the first time. Then, a teenager, it did not take too long for the dark-skinned beauty to fascinate audiences and become a face to be desired on screen.

The secret, she says, is staying true to her art and giving it all the attention and dedication it requires.

“I have respected myself as an artiste. I think the success stems from the fact that I have given acting my all. I have not deviated from the realisation that all I ever wanted to do was act. It’s hard to tell, what I would do differently if I were to do it all over. The fact is, I can’t imagine my life any other way,” she states.

She fondly refers to herself as Eve and according to her, her most admirable attribute is not so much her beauty but the fact that she is very modest. To anybody who has had a close encounter with her, she is the girl next door.

“I don't see myself as a special person beyond the fact that God has blessed me with a talent that is working for me and I am forever thankful to Him,” she demurs.

At 35, the Imo State-born actress defies ageing like a fresh rose blooming every spring. Beautiful and stylish, Genevieve is an embodiment of unparalleled elegance, one among a few Nigerian celebrities, who would step out in a very simple outfit and still manage to look like a queen. How does she pick her clothes? To her, this usually depends on the occasion.

“My mood and comfort level also determines my choice of clothing. I don’t think there are many clothes I would not try on. I am very daring when it comes to fashion.”

The first Nigerian actress to be profiled on the Oprah Winfrey show, she was labelled by the talk show icon as the, ‘Julia Roberts of Africa.’ She has also appeared on the Cable Network News programme, African Voices. Recently, she was also chosen as Connector of the day on CNN’s Connect the World programme.

A preferred ambassador for most multinational brands, she emerged with the highest votes during the 2004 search for the Face of Lux and her most recent multimillion naira endorsement deal with telecommunications giant, Etisalat, still sets tongues wagging. Just like her personality, Genevieve refers to the brand as, ‘young and vibrant.’

“Etisalat is consumer friendly, young and vibrant. It is indeed the most innovative telecommunications brand in Nigeria. If I were to do it all over, I would choose Etisalat,” she gushes.

In an industry where people love to speculate about the private lives of celebrities, she remains a mystery that people constantly try to unravel. Carrying herself with dignity and conducting her affairs with utmost discretion, the single mother of one has managed to dodge scandals for most of the 15 years she has spent in the industry.

In addition to giving back to the society through her organisation, Saint Genevieve Foundation, she views herself as a perfect role model and mentor. She admits, 

“I mentor quite a number of young women. But under the Saint Genevieve Foundation, we currently sponsor about 12 girls per session. The Foundation aims to assist young girls to become independent and self sufficient through both financial and social support.”

With numerous movies to her credit, the award-winning actress, who featured as a child star in the television soap opera, ‘Ripples,’ says her favourite movie role till date has been, “Wind of Glory.’’ In the movie, she played the role of Julie, a pretty but blind village girl, totally resigned to her fate of never finding a worthy man to marry. 

“I enjoyed the challenge that came with the character,” Genevieve says. Till today, it is one of the movies I am proud to have been part of. If you ask me for the titles of most of my movies, I can’t tell you, but I will never forget the ‘Wind of Glory.’ When I watched the movie, there was a sense of pride that came with the conviction that I interpreted the role well. People asked me if I researched the character but I did not. Acting is all about creativity. It is about taking on the soul and spirit of the character, using imagination to bring the character to life and making people believe in the role.”

But her face has been rare in movies in recent times. Explaining the reason for this, she says, 

“I guess I haven’t found the right script yet. Creativity and depth are the qualities that I look out for in a script. In the beginning, the movie industry emphasised quantity but things are changing and there is an improvement in trend. I am among the people who advocate for the improvement of the industry. So said, I am constantly watching out for the kind of stories I take part in. I am in support of movies that show a great deal of professionalism and creativity. Having practised my art in international and professionally produced stories like ‘Ije’; ‘Mirror boy;’ and ‘Tango with me’, I don’t think I can return to the blandness and mediocrity that characterised Nollywood in the past.”

Asked the craziest thing a fan has ever done to her, the actress, who says she would act opposite any actor who challenges her, breaks into a smile and says,

“Nothing really. I consider my fans more passionate than crazy.”

She admits to have been a victim of disappointment but adds that with her, disappointment opens windows for more blessings.

 “I tend to look forward to the blessings that surely come after every disappointment,” she says.

How does she unwind? She replies: 

“What I do for leisure is whatever helps me relax. Since I am always in the public eye, always around people and always photographed, to unwind, I do the exact opposite. I try not to go out; I don’t surround myself with people. I stay indoors and watch television. My everyday life is normal, like everybody else’s. Since my life has seen too much exposure, I try to balance the excess exposure by spending a great deal of my time indoors as much as I can. For the coming year, there are couple of things in the works but I can’t reveal them at this stage. Something is definitely coming up, hopefully before the end of the year.”

On her likes and dislikes she says, 

“I dislike people who exude negative energy. On the other hand, I like people who are strong, loyal and honest.”

Does she have any plans of retiring?

“I will retire when I am too old and weary to carry on,” she says.