Nigerian Actress and Producer Seyi Ashekun Says 'I Nearly Quit Acting'
DECEMBER 13, 2014
BY ’NONYE AND OLONILUA
Seyi Ashekun, who won in a category at this year’s Best of Nollywood Award, tells Saturday Beats why she became an actress and how she has fared in the industry so far
How do you feel winning the Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Best of Nollywood award held few months back?
I got so emotional. After the shock, I became very happy.
Was it your first award?
Oh yes, it was my first award but it wasn’t my first nomination though. I put in my best in the movie. People kept telling me that I did well in the movie.
Why do you act only Yoruba movies?
I don’t want to do only Yoruba movies, I don’t want to be known just as a Yoruba actress, I want to cut across. But it is not easy. The scripts are not coming but I believe they will later come.
Do you also produce?
Yes. I produced the movie that won me the award.
Who are the people you love working with?
I love working with Damola Olatunji, Femi Adebayo and Muyiwa Ademola. Muyiwa brings out the best in me. As for the actresses, I love working with Fathia Balogun and so many of them as well, including Bimbo Oshin and Ronke Ojo.
Who introduced you to acting?
When I decided I wanted to become an actress, I kept telling people about it. I have a sister who introduced me to Olasco Films. I got Bayo Tijani’s number, called him and joined his group.
And how has it been since then?
It has not been easy and I tell people. There are times I have thought of quitting but thank God for my mother and some close friends who discouraged me from quitting. They advised me that I have put in so much and as such, I shouldn’t quit. It has not been easy at all but I thank God for the support I have. With the award I just got, I feel this is where I belong; I would just keep on doing it.
What particularly made you want to quit?
The major thing is finance. The first few years are usually very tough because nobody really believes in you. You know that this is what you want to do and as such, you will keep spending your money to be seen. You will go on location and nobody will even give you a role. Most times you have to pay for your room. In fact, in my first three years, I was paying for my hotel room each time I was at a location. I think that stopped last year. Not only do you pay for your room, you will also feed yourself and when you are leaving, some might put something little in an envelope for you while some others will just tell you to call them when you get home. They will not even bother to thank you for your efforts and if you don’t call them when you get home, they will feel like they gave you an opportunity and you weren’t appreciative. All of them think they are doing you a favour. When you don’t have people in the industry, it is even tougher. I have no regrets anyway.
Were you sexually harassed?
This doesn’t really happen in the Yoruba movie industry. Well, I haven’t been asked for such. I have not been asked for money as well. But then, you may be at a location for 10 days and you may not even be sure of the role you would be given, the producer may not even know what to give you but you would just be asked to stay around. You may be fortunate enough to get one to three scenes. And because you want to be seen, you will stay the first day, second day till the tenth day and you are taking care of yourself all these days. You may stay till the end of the production and you may end up doing one scene and you go home. It was tough. I just thank God that I had the support; without the support, I wouldn’t have been here.
So your family didn’t mind that you are an actress?
My mother in particular didn’t mind. She liked it. But my dad had his reservations at the beginning. But these days, especially after I won the award, he became supportive. My mother has never stopped supporting me. She even told me before I started that movies should be something I should think of doing. My friends encouraged me as well. My dad would call me and tell me he’s watching my movie.
Was it the glamour that attracted you to the movie industry or was it because you have the talent?
I will be truthful. Since I was young, I have always liked the TV. I had wanted to be a broadcaster as I said earlier. I just wanted to be a newscaster. When I acted in 2006, I realised that the movie industry is not a child’s play. It is not something unserious people should even dream of going into. It requires discipline. I didn’t want to be an actor at first but when I acted and I realised that this is actually a profession, I decided to be a part of it.
Do you also know that people perceive actresses as no good wife materials?
I don’t agree. I believe people think so but it is a misconception. I am in a relationship and my boyfriend loves my work even more than I love it. Sometimes, I am not okay with the fee I am offered for a job but my boyfriend would insist I take it. He would encourage me and it wasn’t as if he knew I was an actress even before we started dating. I was the one that made him start watching Yoruba movies. There are men out there that love us.
Who is your boyfriend?
You will not know him but just wait.
Is he going to marry you?
Well, we met a few months ago, we don’t know yet.
How do you cope with other male admirers?
I just respectfully decline what they are bringing. I know most men just want to have an affair with us, they don’t want anything serious. People like that, you know them when they come. I don’t need such distractions. I just respectfully and tactically tell them I am in a relationship.
Do we see you producing more movies?
Oh yes. I have a lot of stories to tell. But the industry is not encouraging, the marketers are complaining. You shoot a movie with a lot of money and you just manage to get half of it back. That is why I am stalling on producing another movie. I wouldn’t have considered doing another movie if not for the success of the first movie I produced.
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| Nigerian Nollywood star Seyi Ashekun. |
BY ’NONYE AND OLONILUA
Seyi Ashekun, who won in a category at this year’s Best of Nollywood Award, tells Saturday Beats why she became an actress and how she has fared in the industry so far
How do you feel winning the Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Best of Nollywood award held few months back?
I got so emotional. After the shock, I became very happy.
Was it your first award?
Oh yes, it was my first award but it wasn’t my first nomination though. I put in my best in the movie. People kept telling me that I did well in the movie.
Why do you act only Yoruba movies?
I don’t want to do only Yoruba movies, I don’t want to be known just as a Yoruba actress, I want to cut across. But it is not easy. The scripts are not coming but I believe they will later come.
Do you also produce?
Yes. I produced the movie that won me the award.
Who are the people you love working with?
I love working with Damola Olatunji, Femi Adebayo and Muyiwa Ademola. Muyiwa brings out the best in me. As for the actresses, I love working with Fathia Balogun and so many of them as well, including Bimbo Oshin and Ronke Ojo.
Who introduced you to acting?
When I decided I wanted to become an actress, I kept telling people about it. I have a sister who introduced me to Olasco Films. I got Bayo Tijani’s number, called him and joined his group.
And how has it been since then?
It has not been easy and I tell people. There are times I have thought of quitting but thank God for my mother and some close friends who discouraged me from quitting. They advised me that I have put in so much and as such, I shouldn’t quit. It has not been easy at all but I thank God for the support I have. With the award I just got, I feel this is where I belong; I would just keep on doing it.
What particularly made you want to quit?
The major thing is finance. The first few years are usually very tough because nobody really believes in you. You know that this is what you want to do and as such, you will keep spending your money to be seen. You will go on location and nobody will even give you a role. Most times you have to pay for your room. In fact, in my first three years, I was paying for my hotel room each time I was at a location. I think that stopped last year. Not only do you pay for your room, you will also feed yourself and when you are leaving, some might put something little in an envelope for you while some others will just tell you to call them when you get home. They will not even bother to thank you for your efforts and if you don’t call them when you get home, they will feel like they gave you an opportunity and you weren’t appreciative. All of them think they are doing you a favour. When you don’t have people in the industry, it is even tougher. I have no regrets anyway.
Were you sexually harassed?
This doesn’t really happen in the Yoruba movie industry. Well, I haven’t been asked for such. I have not been asked for money as well. But then, you may be at a location for 10 days and you may not even be sure of the role you would be given, the producer may not even know what to give you but you would just be asked to stay around. You may be fortunate enough to get one to three scenes. And because you want to be seen, you will stay the first day, second day till the tenth day and you are taking care of yourself all these days. You may stay till the end of the production and you may end up doing one scene and you go home. It was tough. I just thank God that I had the support; without the support, I wouldn’t have been here.
So your family didn’t mind that you are an actress?
My mother in particular didn’t mind. She liked it. But my dad had his reservations at the beginning. But these days, especially after I won the award, he became supportive. My mother has never stopped supporting me. She even told me before I started that movies should be something I should think of doing. My friends encouraged me as well. My dad would call me and tell me he’s watching my movie.
Was it the glamour that attracted you to the movie industry or was it because you have the talent?
I will be truthful. Since I was young, I have always liked the TV. I had wanted to be a broadcaster as I said earlier. I just wanted to be a newscaster. When I acted in 2006, I realised that the movie industry is not a child’s play. It is not something unserious people should even dream of going into. It requires discipline. I didn’t want to be an actor at first but when I acted and I realised that this is actually a profession, I decided to be a part of it.
Do you also know that people perceive actresses as no good wife materials?
I don’t agree. I believe people think so but it is a misconception. I am in a relationship and my boyfriend loves my work even more than I love it. Sometimes, I am not okay with the fee I am offered for a job but my boyfriend would insist I take it. He would encourage me and it wasn’t as if he knew I was an actress even before we started dating. I was the one that made him start watching Yoruba movies. There are men out there that love us.
Who is your boyfriend?
You will not know him but just wait.
Is he going to marry you?
Well, we met a few months ago, we don’t know yet.
How do you cope with other male admirers?
I just respectfully decline what they are bringing. I know most men just want to have an affair with us, they don’t want anything serious. People like that, you know them when they come. I don’t need such distractions. I just respectfully and tactically tell them I am in a relationship.
Do we see you producing more movies?
Oh yes. I have a lot of stories to tell. But the industry is not encouraging, the marketers are complaining. You shoot a movie with a lot of money and you just manage to get half of it back. That is why I am stalling on producing another movie. I wouldn’t have considered doing another movie if not for the success of the first movie I produced.
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