Bhaira Mcwizu is gradually becoming a force to reckon with in Nollywood, considering the role she played in Evil Genius, one of the titles in Super Story series. She speaks with TOPE OLUKOLE on issues about her life as well as the movie industry.
What has been happening to your career?
Well, it’s blossoming and it’s getting better each day. I have been given a leverage through Amstel Malta Box Office (AMBO) and there are many doors opening. Like soaps on TV and given scripts to act in movies as well as do my music. I’m living my dream so to speak.
What’s the experience like on the set of Super Story’s new season?
Oh, its thrilling. It’s a completely new Super Story season and working with people like Yemi Solade, Bukky Wright, Jide Kosoko and Justus Esiri was a wonderful experience. I’m like, oh, I’m working with these calibre of people? And then there is D1 (Dayo Adeneye), I can’t afford to disappoint. Yes, it took everything from me and I was like tired, but I gave it my best.
Just as your acting career is blossoming, we heard about your foray into music, don’t you think you are distracting yourself, where really do you belong?
That is why I have God by my side and a wonderful management team and of course, you have to plan because you cannot do two things at the same time especially when it involves music and movies. The two are demanding industries.
So, I’m giving enough time to acting and more time to music and the same time balancing the two of them. So, if you see the music part of me, I hope you enjoy it like I’m enjoying it and you will get to see that it is possible for me to excel in both industries at the end of the day.
You are young, you work hard, and that has not taken away the excitement of the youth life in you, what is that thing that takes your time off work?
I guess it’s dancing! Yes, dancing and shopping. I can’t get enough of dancing because I love to dance anyway. I like to shop too; I like to see beautiful scenes around me, travel. Yes, I will like to do all these things because they keep my mind busy.
So, how is your love life?
My love life is wonderful
So, tell us about it?
Absolutely not, it’s private matter.
Okay, what’s your preference now?
It has always been my career, doing what I love to do best. I’m living my dreams of course, it makes me happy everyday.
You seem to be so close to AMBO 2 winner, O.C Ukeje, that it has sparked a romance rumour in a section of the media?
I don’t know what the rumour is all about. O.C is my big brother and he came to AMBO before me. Yes, we go to events together, different strokes for different folks. Some like it hot, some like it cold. People would say whatever they want to say, it’s a free world, so I can’t be bothered.
You’ve always been a good girl, so why are you hiding your relationship?
I’m not hiding my relationship; I’m not just talking about it.
What will you say has changed about you after shooting Evil Genius with Wale Adenuga’s production?
First of all, I will like to say I’m exhausted in the sense that I gave it my all and any good actress will know that when you are on set you deliver and after that you look back and say I have done a good job and that is the way I felt. Of course, there are things that can be improved upon, yes, but on my side, I know that I have done a good job.
Frankly speaking, what would this Super Story do to you and if you were given a chance to speak about your encounter with Wale
Adenuga, what will you say he has done for your career?
Wale Adenuga is a genius and may God bless him. As he says, “we are pencils in the hand of our creator.” I think God directed me to his path and he has helped me to shape my destiny. He has made me a better person because anybody who sees this season of Super Story would see that Amstel Malta has not made any mistake choosing me as the winner because frankly speaking, Adenuga brought out those elements in me that even AMBO House didn’t see in me.
How did you meet Wale Adenuga?
Well, he called me and asked if I was going to be available in the next two months and I said yes and I asked him what was going to happen and he said he has something he wanted to give to me. I didn’t think about it twice and I said, “If you want a whole year, I’m going to give it to you, sir”
Have you had cause to handle or give in to true emotion on set?
Well, if I have to kiss, then will I I kiss. During actions, it’s not Bhaira anymore, it’s my character. So, if I’m loving that person in the script, I’m loving that person as my character demands and if I’m hating that person, I’m hating him to death as expected of my character and when the light goes off, I get back to my real self and we start laughing and doing things normally, but during that period of acting, we are not ourselves. So, on set, if we are in love, we are in love.
Don’t you think that real affection could come out of those romantic scenes?
No, that’s crazy. It’s so unprofessional. If you are working, you’d better be working 100 per cent. I’m supposed to be acting and that’s all I do.
What’s the challenge that you have had to handle since you left the AMBO house and you did not prepare for?
When I was in the house, I just tried to soak up all the knowledge I could.
If you had not won AMBO, would you have pursued your dream to be an entertainer this far?
Yes, absolutely. I actually started out with the MUSON’s School of Music. I was pursuing that so hard and then, I was called up to do a stage play and it was well-received. The next thing I saw was an AMBO billboard staring at me in face and before I knew it, I was in the AMBO house. My focus was always and entirely on music not even acting, I have always been entertainment inclined.