After watching the intriguing Nigerian comedy "Okon Lagos" and "Okon goes to school" starring Ime Bishop Umoh, Moses Armstrong, Monalisa Chinda and Vanessa Koko, we set out to meet with his troublesome wife Vanessa Koko [ casted as Udeme in the movie ] due to popular demand by our fans.
Without wasting much of your time, we bring you a moment with Nollywood's finest movie actress Vanessa Koko (aka Udeme) to you.
Enjoy!
INTRODUCE YOURSELF
Hi everyone, my name is Vanessa Koko, i'm from Ikono L.G.A, Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria and I am an actress.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN THE MOVIE BUSINESS AND TELL US A LITTLE STORY ON HOW YOU STARTED ACTING AND WHY.
Well, I've always loved to act but 3 years ago I took a bold step of joining a movie academy, just so I could get trained professionally before I finally joined the movie business fully.
DID YOU GO THROUGH ANY INSTITUTION OR TALENT HUNT SHOW TO ACQUIRE SKILLS AS AN ACTRESS?Yeah I attended the Royal Arts Academy, a drama school owned by Emem Isong, where I did a 6months training course in acting. After graduating, we did our very first movie, Okon Lagos" where I bagged an international award.
TELL US ABOUT OKON LAGOS AND THE EXPERIENCE
Well, I played the role of a very stubborn and annoying wife in the movie. It was a very funny role really 'Ime Bishop Umoh' (Okon) is a very funny and interesting individual, he never stops making you laugh.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE SO FAR IN THE MOVIE INDUSTRY AND WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON SEXUAL HARASSMENT?
Tribalism: A yoruba director wants to favour a yoruba actor, an igbo director wants to favour an igbo actor and a calabar director wants to favour a calabar actor. Majorly Tribalism.
People complain about sexual harassment in the movie industry by male directors and vise versa but truthfully, I don't see that as a challenge because its the actresses that actually harass the producers. For example you see female actresses, who go as far as booking hotel rooms and giving the hotel number to the directors to come meet them there just because they want a role in a movie. Some of them even offer them money. At the end of the day, she'd mess up the movie because she isn't talented.
Any producer that sees you and knows you are talented will not harass you because he needs you. "YOU CAN NEVER HARASS TALENT".
YOU HAVE HEARD OF THE TERM "STARVING ACTORS" HOW DO YOU COPE WITH MAJOR OBSTACLES AND HOW LUCRATIVE IS THE MOVIE INDUSTRY?
Well, the movie industry is very very lucrative but you have to get to that stage. Its a process, you start the suffering, starving and gradually you get to that stage, when you start making money. You have to pay your dues thats just it.
SO ARE YOU SAYING YOU HAVE PAID YOUR DUES?
Well i'm still paying mine.
SO MISS VANESSA KOKO, HOW MUCH DO YOU COLLECT AVERAGELY FOR A MOVIE?
hahahah, no that's a no go area, I don't wanna talk about that now cos this will scare away my customers o.
TELL US ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL AWARD
Yeah I was nominated alongside Monalisa Chinda, Uche Ogbodo, I was scared because I was nominated alongside very strong and talented actresses and this was my first movie. I knew I wouldn't stand a chance most especially because I didn't even have a fan base and these were actresses, who had a very large fan base, but I was amazed, I emerged the one with the highest vote for category "Best Comedy actress in Africa ZAFAA AWARDS 2011 UNITED KINGDOM". I was shocked I won the award and here I am with 6 awards so far.
CAN YOU NAME THE AWARDS SO FAR?
1. ZAFAA AWARD 2011 UNITED KINGDOM "Best Comedy Actress in Africa"
2. A Recognition Award by LTJ Media
3. Ibom People's Nollywood Star of the year.
4. Ibom Transformation Group AWARD as Ibom Indigenous actress of the year 2013.
5. A Recognition Award as Ibom transformation Ambassador.
6. Ibom wood media TV ambassador
IF YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE SOMETHING ABOUT THE MOVIE INDUSTRY, WHAT WOULD THAT BE?
Piracy and tribalism. We are all one, we are all Nollywood if i'm not a yoruba actress doesn't mean I can't star in a yoruba movie.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THE PRODUCERS JUST WANTS IT TO BE A FULL YORUBA MOVIE
Well its their choice, but I just think it can be twisted a little bit to favour people from other tribes.
IF I MAY ASK YOU, HOW MANY NIGERIAN LANGUAGES DO YOU SPEAK.
I speak yoruba, little igbo and my language Akwa Ibom then English.
WHAT ARE YOUR IMMEDIATE CAREER GOALS FOR THE NEXT 3 YEARS
Well to be a mega star actress. To be known world wide, and to also achieve ultimate financial security.
WOW THAT SOUNDS BIG
Of course you need to have MONEY at every point if you must excel in the industry.
DO YOU FEEL THE ECONOMIC CRUNCH HAS HURT THE MOVIE INDUSTRY IN NIGERIA AND DO YOU HAVE SOME OTHER BUSINESSES TIPS TO SUPPORT CAREER.
Yeah I actually run a Calabar kitchen called KOKO's Calabar Kitchen. I keep advising every actor. Acting isn't a days job (Well at this level) They don't call you for jobs everyday, so while you wait for them to call you, you do something that would generate some business for you. Something with flexibility time wise. Get to be an enterprenuer and mix it with your acting.
WHAT ARE YOUR UP TO DATE PLANS, IS THERE ANY NEWS, RUMOUR, MOVIES YOU ARE SHOOTING SOON, ANYTHING YOU THINK WE SHOULD KNOW.
Well I've this movie I'm shooting in Uyo presently and this award I have to also pick up also in Uyo. I already won the award. Then I also have about 10 movies I have to shoot in Uyo this month. I also have some I'm shooting in Lagos but I'm not allowed to tell the name of the movie we're shooting.
SO YOU ARE NOT GONNA TELL US THE NAME OF THE MOVIES RIGHT?
Normally we only work with working titles, so after the shoot the title changes back to the original so we aren't given the original title.
TELL ME, IF YOU COULD PERFORM WITH ANYONE IN THE WORLD, EITHER DEAD OR ALIVE, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY. NAME UP TO 3.
Queen Latifah, Michael Jackson and Angelina Jolie.
Queen Latifah: There is this special way she delivers her lines and she is so into her character. I like the way she delivers her lines and because I look like her.
Angelina Jolie: Angelina Jolie is a gifted actress. She flows with her character, she has this innate way of bringing out the character to become her own.
Michael Jackson: I just love Michael Jackson, he was my childhood fantasy.
SO HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY CHARITY WORK AND WHAT WAS IT ALL ABOUT.
That's a day to day activity for me, I take care of children. I go to the orphanage almost all the time, I love being with the kids and I love going to the old people's home to stay with them and play with them. I actually love celebrating my birthdays with them.
SO AS AN ACTRESS, IS THERE ANY THING SPECIAL YOU HOPE TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.
yes, I want to build like 2 orphanage homes and 2 old people's home. I want to be able to give them shelter, food and good education. I'll build a school inside the orphanage home.
THINKING BACK TO THE VERY BEGINNING AS AN ACTRESS, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR PERFORMANCE TODAY.
Yes, I learn everyday, I get improved everyday. New style, new techniques, new ways to deliver my lines, new way of entering a character, new ways of projecting. I learn everyday and I'm improving everyday.
SO WHAT DID YOU DO BEFORE YOU GOT INTO ACTING.
Schooling: I was in Lagos State University. So when I finished I moved into acting. I studied Industrial Relations and personnel management then I moved into Royal Arts Academy to study acting. Then I run my kitchen.
WHEN THINGS GET OUT OF HAND WHAT DO YOU DO?
I go down on ma knees and worship God and also pray. I always have results when I pray.
SO WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE TO YOUR DRIVE AS AN ACTRESS
My passion drives me, the untapped talent in me drives me.
SO WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES YOU UNIQUE FROM OTHER NIGERIAN ACTRESS
Well i'm different. Nobody can carry the character I'm carrying. I'm different and I act differently. Everybody has the way they carry their lines. I create my own waves, I don't follow the normal tides.
AS AN ACTRESS, HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE SUCCESS.
Success is failing, falling, Standing up, Falling again, Standing up, Staying focused and pursuing your goal, your said target. At the end of the day, what you achieve is success.
HAVE YOU EVER HAD TO DEAL WITH NEGATIVE PUBLICITY OR PUSHY MEDIA PEOPLE?
I've had to deal with a lot, but the truth is in the entertainment world you get to see these things from time to time, I call it the good the bad and the ugly. But the truth there is, you need them. whether they are doing the right thing or the wrong thing, they are just giving you publicity, so you should learn to accept negative or positive publicity if you must excel in the industry.
WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.
Well the music industry are doing pretty well for themselves. I must tell you its growing rapidly and I'm proud of them. I love the maturity that comes from Tuface's music, P Square, Omawunmi. Omawunmi is so traditional.
HOW CAN YOUR FANS REACH YOU?
ONE WORD FOR YOUR FANS BEFORE WE RAP THINGS UP.
For all of you out there, who have supported me one way or the other, I wanna say a big thank you. And keep looking out for me, because I'll always keep it coming. Thanks.
WELL, I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE INTERVIEW.
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