My body is quite sexy: …But I flaunt it only at the right time - Marie Ebuka

Marie Ebuka is one of the stars in Nollywood, having acted in Gentle Solution, Candlelight, Extreme Measure, and many others.
And you know what? She describes herself as sexy.
Read her mini biography below.

Background
I come from a family of four children two boys and two girls and I am the last born of the family. I was born in Lagos and I have lived all my life in Lagos. I am from the Igbo speaking part of Delta State.

I read philosophy in University of Lagos. In year 2001, I was introduced to Zeb Ejiro. I met Zeb through his wife Joy, who was my course mate in the university. Zeb's production company wanted to shoot a party scene of a movie he was producing at that time. They needed girls for the party scene. Joy came to school to invite some of us for the scene. I told her I was interested, so I went to National Theatre which was the venue for the party, and that was how she introduced me to her husband. I guess he was impressed by my talent, because he told me he had a role for 'me in an'upcoming movie. And that he would rather want to feature me in the movie, and that I should forget about the party scene that I came for.

He gave me my first break, in 'Gentle Solution.' I later featured in a television soap 'Candlelight'.
In Candle light I played the role of a lawyer. I had to take a break from acting for a while, because of my studies, the distraction was just too much for me. And also the rumour, that you have to known somebody in the industry to be get a role in a production. That you have to sleep with producers or directors to be able to get a role. So, I was very very happy when I met Zeb through his wife. I felt this is just the opportunity I've been waiting for, and I grabbed it.

After the soap, I had to go back to school, because from one audition to another became boring for me and it was not really convenient. After two years break, I came back to the industry and did Extreme Measure, which was also a Zeb Ejiiro production. I was supposed to feature in one of his soaps, Ultimate Hero, but the role was to play in the soap was too strenuous for me. It's an action soap, that entails a lot of strenuous exercises and body building. Extreme Measure is an action packed movie, I think I have been able to carve a niche for myself in the industry as an action movie actress.
As a child my ambition was to become a Petroleum Engineer. I was science inclined, but along the way I had to start nursing other options. If this doesn't work out what else would I want to do, so I chose Economics. I did not study Theatre Arts in university because back then, I didn't nurse it as a career. I never thought that I could do acting professionally.

On the movie industry
What I heard about the Nigeria movie industry is that you have to sleep around to get roles. You must know somebody that is well connected, to get a role in a movie. I didn't know anybody in the industry and really didn't know where to start from. Though I wanted to have a career in acting, I wasn't that desperate to do whatever to be seen in a movie. But then, I knew sooner or later I was bound to meet someone who is in the industry that will help me realise my dreams.
It was a good thing that I met Zeb, because I knew then I needed to start with a producer or director that knows his onions.

What I heard about the industry initially was a put off for me. And because I was not ready to do all that in exchange for a role in the movie, I lost interest, and concentrated on my studies. I remember when I got my first role in a movie, my parents were very much against it. Even my eldest brother Austin Ebuka, who had been in the industry for a long time, did not approve of it. But I put my feet down, I let them known that this is what I want to do.

You don't have to sleep with everyone that tells you are beautiful. A lot of actresses in the industry are so desperate, you see them hanging out in producers offices. They stay till late at night because they want a role. And in fact, they are the ones that are actually throwing themselves at these producers. Because if you are all business-like, leave immediately after auditioning for a part and not hang around for whatever, nobody will propose an indecent bring to you.
I have never hung around after audition, if I am good enough for the movie I will get the part.

On relationship
Right now, I am in a relationship, we have been dating for two years now. I like tall, dark, hunk of a man, and very attractive. And when I get closer, I expect you to be intelligent, honest, and God fearing. I have never dated a guy that is in the same industry, I don't see them as guys that are really looking for a long lasting relationship. I see guys that are in the industry as just colleagues. It may happen may be if one of us is no longer in the industry, but not while we still are in the same industry. The guys just want to have their fun and brag about it later.

On nude scene
I can't go completely nude in front of the camera. If I don't have to bare it all I can, and if it is necessary for the character. In the President Must not Die, there was a bathroom scene that I was semi-naked. I don't think I am bold enough to wear a bikini in a movie. I wouldn't take a role in a movie where I will have to bare it all. Although I know that I have a very beautiful, very sexy body, I don't just go about flaunting my body, like that. Not that I am conservative and all that, I flaunt it at the right time. I just don't flaunt it anyhow.

For now, my acting career is the only thing that I have going for me and I hope to be in the industry for some time. I want to see where my acting talents take me.
I have always been an independent person right from my university days. I have done odd jobs just to pay my bills. I never liked running back to my parents asking for money all the time. And since I started acting I have never asked my parents for money. Life has not been all that rosy for me, at one point or the other, I have had somebody help me out with my bills.
My boyfriend has always helped me with my bills, but I never capitalized on that. If I need something and I can't get it myself I don't like asking somebody to help me out. So, I have always been a working girl.

On love
Once I have had my heart broken. I was so heartbroken for two years I stopped acting. I wasn't ready then to give my heart to somebody else, because I was afraid of having my heart broken again. But I later got over it. I learned my lesson so I like to get to know a guy to know if we are compatible before I can start talking about love.