How I Forced Regina Askia Into Nollywood—Ralph Nwadike

Respected Nollywood producer, Ralph Nwadike, has revealed that convincing actress, Regina Askia, to delve into acting was not easy as she keeps sending her housemaid to tell him she was not around.

According to TNS, Ralph Nwadike, who was speaking at a British Council/GenVoices event in Lagos on Monday 15th December 2014, said Regina was a beauty queen and he was determined to make her a screen star which took him three months to eventually achieve.

“Regina was a beauty queen and I was determined to make her a screen star. I went to her house everyday for three months and her housegirl said the same thing to me: “Aunty, e no dey.” But I didn't give up; I went again the next day,” he explained.

Regina who recently turned 47, according to the producer, eventually agreed on the day he concluded that he was going to stop if she does not accept the offer but was shocked when the language of the housemaid changed “Aunty say make you come.”

He noted though on the audition ground, she embarrassed herself because she could not read her scripts which made other actors laugh at her, but he never gave up as he eventually succeeded in transforming her into a star with the help of the mirror.

“Regina couldn't read her script. She was shaking. To make matters worse, the other actors laughed at her. So she stormed out of the audition venue and said to me: “Thank you very much Ralph, you have succeeded in making me embarrass myself in public.” But we held her back and asked her to stand in front of her mirror at home and practice, which she did. The rest, as they say, is history.”