If you have seen movies like Dangerous Act and Boys Cut, then you would agree that there would be no vacuum created at all when stars like Omotola and Ini Edo finally quit acting, as there exists perfect replacements for them. Ambitious Ruth Kadiri, a final year Business Administration student of Yaba College of Technology and first year Mass Communication student of the National Open University told http://www.nigeriafilms.com why she desperately craves the‘bad girl’ role.
How did your journey into the movie industry start?
I remember when I was a kid I always wanted to be at the center of attraction. In my class, I used to tell my friends a lot of stories and I was not in the drama group. I was in the debate society.
One day, I followed a friend to Wale Adenuga Super story audition and they called me back. The director said, if you pass this audition just know that you are good and if you don’t am sorry, pack your bags out of the industry. So my name was last on the list because I was very late. When I got home I thought of it and decided to give it a trial and it’s been working.
How many movies have you done so far?
I don’t know. I don’t count. It is not that I’ve done hundred movies, but I just don’t keep count of them.
Which would you consider most challenging?
‘Dangerous Act’, I acted the part of a member of an armed robbery gang and was sniffing cocaine. It was something I had never done before, so I had to rehearse how to sniff cocaine. I think that is my most challenging role so far.
What is your take on the Nollywood, as an insider of course?
Nollywood is a mother that has trained her kids to a level where she begins to reap the fruits of her labour. That is how I see Nollywood. She is still reaping her fruit because she sowed a lot.
Which of the roles would you say reflects the real you?
I don’t think I have played a role that really reflects me. They usually give me roles where I have to shout, either I am rude to my father or I am just a bitch. You know, all these are not me. A lot of my friends look at me and say I look innocent and so much like a baby. Well, I think I am getting what I want because I performed well.
With the way I look, if I play the good girl role I won’t like it. I don’t like the good girl role. A lot of people say that the good girl role does not really bring out the best in you. Now in the Nigerian movie industry, people have a choice and that is my choice of role.
How would you describe yourself?
I see myself as a very ambitious girl that is right on her way to achieving what she wants. I want to attain the highest in whatever I do and I think so far, it’s been working. Considering where I am coming from and if I put a lot of factors together I know that God has been helping me.
What impact has acting had on you so far?
Exposure, I used to be a very naïve but intelligent girl. I read a lot of books and I am trying to research on drug addicts how they act and the effect of drug on human body. That is where intelligence comes in.
Do you read novels?
I read a lot of novels but I don’t like romance.
Why?
I am not a very romantic person, that’s the truth. Romance is not real, I don’t waste my time on things that are not real.
Apart from acting, what other things are you involved in?
Well, if I say it now, a lot of people will say that is the next thing they will do. I can sing, I like to sing, I was in my church choir and I am working on my debut album. Very soon, it will be in the market.
From the photograph you showed me, you were with Tu Face, Sound Sultan and the rest of them, does that say something about your musical career?
Let’s leave that one for now; I don’t want to talk about my album right now. I am working on my album, that’s all.
How do you handle yourself emotionally. I mean do you have a boy friend?
I am going to get married some day, you know. I am not a guy, so I can’t come out and say I have a boyfriend. When I am getting married, I will tell you. Until then, I remain very single. I have lots of friends and a special one that I do go out with.
There’s been so much talk about mediocrity in Nollywood, what do you think can distinguish you from the pack?
A lot of people compare Hollywood with Nollywood. Even then, I am telling you that there is still mediocrity in American movies. A white man will not even believe that you can make a movie in two weeks. Here, we make our movies in two weeks and we still have good picture quality and all that. I think they should give us a break. We are trying and I am not going to say that am doing or I have done something that is extremely different from what we have in the industry.
Is acting what you’re going to be doing for the rest of your life?
Actually yes, I want to be an entertainer and to me, entertainment is like an umbrella which has acting, writing of scripts, singing and presenting under it. I presented a programme — Legend of Nollywood-shown on AIT every Wednesday.
What plans do you have to improve yourself; I mean by way of training?
Personally, I do rehearsals everyday. If I know I have a weakness for crying, I will cry everyday, you know. The best way to improve is continuous rehearsal. I think acting is in-born, you should know how to act, but there are some things that you are not very good at. You have to rehearse to be perfect.
Have you ever slept with any one in order to get a movie role?
I have slept with no man to get a role, even if I have, do you expect me to say it to the whole world? Sexual harassment does not work these days. I have not slept with any man to get movie roles.
