Check Out An Exclusive Personality Interview With Actress Annie Amatosero

Actress, Annie Amatosero it would seem has her finger in every pie. She is not just an actress; she is also a publisher and has just made her debut as a movie producer with her soon to be premiered movie, The Squeezed.

And of course, she is equally a singer and a dancer.

An Itsekiri, Annie was born into a family of seven and she is the sixth  child of her parents.   The   graduate of Enugu State University who  made  her  Nollywood debut  in  2005  has  starred in over 30 movies among which are Number  One   Enemy, Thanks For Coming, Mamas & The Girls, Young Mamas  and The Feast to mention a few.

Annie, who shuttles between Nigeria and the US recently opened up to The Entertainer on her career, why she chose to go into movie production, sexual harassment   and why she wil never act nude among other interesting issues.

 Excerpts:

 Tell us a little bit about yourself?

I was born into a family of seven kids. I was very comfortable as a child. My parents were well-off. I never lacked anything as a child. I  am a   graduate  of Enugu   State  University  and  I  am  also   the   publisher  of  Effixzzy  Magazine. 

I am   also  a   singer  and a  dancer.

How did you come into acting?

I stumbled into acting in 2005. I did the movie Number One Enemy directed by Andy Chukwu  and  ever since  I   have never looked  back.

How do you interpret your roles?

Every movie comes with its challenges. The character you’re  acting defines how real you want the  role to be. Playing the role of a mad woman was really tough for me. When I was doing it, I kept wondering, ‘am I doing it right’ because I have never been mad in my entire life (laughter).  But when the movie came out I got so many calls from people commending me that I did it well. Honestly, I was surprised. I played a girl who ran mad in the movie, 7 Rules of Money. That’s the most challenging  role  for  me so  far. Immersing yourself in a tough character requires a lot of work.

Have you ever been harassed sexually in Nollywood?

Sexual harassment is not a new thing to any grown girl. It’s not just in the movie industry but it’s also in the banking industry, the private sector generally and even in our universities. I am wondering why that of Nollywood is always a big deal to people. Some times some girls harass men though. And the reason is that  some desperate girls who think Nollywood is all about sex come into Nollywood with the mindset of sleeping their way to the top and    so they harass the men. But it’s not always like that. There are some producers and directors who believe in what you can do and how to help you improve on your acting skills   and not for what is under your skirt. It’s so sad that people now see actresses like girls who must sleep their way to get to the top. The desperate ones are the ones who fall into such traps. They come into Nollywood and they don’t want to grow. They want to fly to the level of Genevieve and Omotola overnight and earn what they earn forgetting the fact that they grew gradually into what they have become today. Growth is a gradual process.

There is this rumour about a lesbian clique running things in Nollywood, are you aware of it?

I am just hearing about this clique thing for the first time. I don’t care about people’s sexual orientaion because whatever they do with themselves is their business. As for the clique thing, if it’s true then am not aware of it.

How did you come into movie production?

I never thought I would produce any movie. The thought first came when one of my stories was produced and the movie did very well. It was entitled Ladies On The Move. I and Emeka Amakeze put our heads together on the project. So I was like, ‘if I can tell a story that can sell, I can produce as well’ and that was it.

Tell us about your movie production debut?

The movie is entitled The Squeezed. It was shot in Warri, Delta State and was directed by the Guvnor himself, Lancelot Odua Imasuen. It stars Francis Duru, Funke Akindele, Charles Inioje, Walter Anga, Rex Okunzua, Ify Owochie Nonny and myself.

What is it all about?

It’s the story of love gone sour in the most unbelievable manner. It’s the story of a woman’s desire to prove her true love to her spouse even if it means not having him back. It’s the story of a woman who wants to prove to the world that she never cheated on her man because she truly loves   him. It tells the story of betrayal, revenge, true love and never before seen suspense. It is the story of the triumph of true love.

Sounds interesting. What inspired ‘The Squeezed’?

The Squeezed is a true life story. What inspired it was the plight women go through in marriage.  It’s so sad that when some women don’t get pregnant after marriage, all eyes are on them. People begin to ask funny questions like, abi she no get womb? Abi she  get family problem? Too many questions come up. And you ask yourself, ‘what happened to the man? Where is he? Do people ask if the man is sterile? Everyone wants to blame the woman and not the man. Some have judged harshly forgetting that God Almighty is the giver of children and not man because our ways are not and can never be His ways. There are also some things that people ignore and see as little things that don’t really matter but the repercussions always come when you are ready to settle down. The Squeezed is an educative movie with lots of comic relief.

Are you married?

I am not married and have no kids yet. But I hope to get married very soon.

So tell us about the man in your life?

(Laughter) I don’t want that to be published please; that’s my private business. It’s not for public consumption!

What   are   those  qualities you   look   out   for  in   a   man?

Good   looking,  someone   who   can   make  me  laugh,   is  driven  and above  all  God  fearing.

Could you act nude in the name of professionalism?

That’s one thing I can never do in the name of professionalism. To some people it’s noting. However,   where I come from, it’s a big deal for a woman to bare what  she   is supposed to reserve exclusively for her husband. How proud will my parents be if I went  nude just because I   want  to be  a  professional? Na me wan kill my papa and mama with BP say I dey act film abi na money I dey find?  I cannot expose myself all in the name of money. There are so many actresses who don’t expose themselves and are very successful in this business. The first question is ‘who is my role model?’ When you watch your  role  models closely you will know what you want as an actress. I cannot do it. I am also not against those that can do it. As long as it gives them joy its okay.

Tell us about your publication, Effixzzy?

I am the CEO of Effixzzy International  Magazine. We are into printing and publishing. I double  as the publisher of Effixzzy International  Magazine as well. Effixzzy by the grace of God will be five years in September.  Today   we  have  had  over 20 publications and still counting.. I am also into photography and video coverage. In fact,   we do total event packaging. We just introduced our new event package Effixzzy Party City, That’s all I do aside acting for now.

What  are   your  dreams?

I   want    to   impact   my   generation   positively,  get   married   and  make  a  family    and  above   all,  win   an   Oscar.

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