MEET NOLLYWOOD STARS WHO HIT STARDOM BY CHANCE
Most of them are now famous people that are celebrated here and there, and the fact that they have one way or the other contributed to the growth of Nollywood should not be underestimated.
Though fame, as it is wrongly perceived, does not come easily, and that it is not easy to manage, the fans of these stars often get disappointed about how some of them handle fame. According to some observers who spoke with NollywoodReel, this cannot be unconnected with the fact that most of the stars did not even plan to go into acting let alone hug stardom.
This week, NollywoodReel writes about some of these personalities who did not expect to become stars. Enjoy it:
•Genevieve Nnaji: No doubt, Genevieve is one of the biggest female stars come out of the Nigerian movie industry, and she obviously deserves accolades for that.
Apart from the local and international laurels she has received since she joined Nollywood, the Face of Lux Crown she won was another spectacular achievement for the mother of one. But unknown to many, Genevieve did not envisage to be the star that she is right now. According to her, “when I started acting, I was not looking to be this big... And it is good that the fame has come, but it comes with its good and bad sides. One of the bad sides that I do not like is loss of privacy.”
•Lilian Bach: This mulatto star actress did not even plan plan to become an actress, but the fact remains that she is now a household name in the industry.
Her first film was Natives, shortly after which she did another one entitled God's Promise, but if anyone wishes to know, she has not been paid for any of those jobs up till now.
While telling the tales of how she began her acting career, Lilian said: “I accompanied a friend to an audition. There was nobody to read with him. I was called upon by the director during the casting to read with him and he offered me a role ... that happens to be my first acting job. I got a lot of responses from people and after that, the jobs started pouring in. That was how it started.”
•Moji Olaiya: According to this daughter of talented musician, Victor Olaiya: “I had wanted to be a broadcaster ... It was Foluke Daramola who told me about the audition of No Pain, No Gain, one of the series of the television drama, Super Story, by Wale Adenuga Productions. I was auditioned and got the role of Ireti that brought me to the limelight in 2002.”
•Ronke Ojo: Popularly known as Oshodi-Oke in the movie industry, thouhg a naturally endowed actress, wouldn't have been an actress, if not that fortune actually wants her there.
She disclosed that: “My father, who used to be a customs officer, could not bring me up the way he wanted because he had a problem with his job. Consequently, I could not proceed to a higher institution after my secondary school education. And because I had always been fascinated by the entertainment industry, I decided to go into acting.”
•Shola Ashedeko: Shola Ashedeko, otherwise known as Abeni, has gradually launched herself among the most sought after actresses since she featured in a Mainframe Productions flick, Abeni. Though she is yet to become a star per se, Shola did not intend to be an actress.
“My father wanted me to study Law, but my mark was very low at the University Matriculation Examinations. So I changed it to Creative Arts and made the list. At first, it was strange being in a department I basically knew nothing about, but I was determined to see it through ... I remember my first time on stage, it was Tunji Sotimirin who directed me to do it,” she recalled.