When asked by Nigerian Tribune in a recent interview about the weirdest thing a fan has ever done to her , she said :
"People say I frown my face a lot. So, fans do really come so close to misbehave around me. However, I do not take weirdness seriously because I am weird. Even women propose marriage to me. That is weird."There were other interesting things that were discussed in the interview , read it below :
How do you relax here ( In her apartment )?
I play games sometimes. Some other times, I don’t get to sleep. I work overnight while people sleep. My sleeping pattern is not regular these days. I read books. I like tennis. I love riding bicycles.
All tennis games. Forget about my height; I can jump for the ball.
Do you get to stay here all the time?
No. There is someone here whenever I am out of town. And I have cameras everywhere. The house is safe. It is good to leave the house and go to work. Sleeping everyday will not put food on the table.
You said you reject roles, what kind of roles?
The ones I don’t like. No one forces a role down your throat. It is a negotiation. If I don’t want to do a role, there are other people who would gladly take it up.
What makes you reject a role?
It depends on the story, the character and the money. If you are shooting outside Lagos, I would take a job for between N50, 000 and N100, 000. That was way back in 2002. This is 2014. Nollywood has changed. There are so many opportunities. We are now being paid fairly.
There was a time you were asking for roles. Would you say it is the other way round now?
Yes. I am a producer now, so, people ask me for roles. Even when I was coming up, I didn’t ask any producer for roles. At least, no producers I have worked with would say that I did.
You recently finished shooting a movie. What role did you play?
It was a challenging role. I played a princess. It was yesterday that we finished the shooting. I worked with Ebere Okpara Onyeike, a lady I respect and admire, and Mr Jibola Dabo. She acted as my mum and he, my dad. It is a wonderful story, something different. Before then, I played another royal character. I am the main character as the princess of the goddess wherein I communicate with thunder and lightning. I had to learn Igbo because my role is an Igbo princess who is to be married off to some prince. But I am betrothed to the god and would not marry an ordinary person. The concept of the movie is traditional. It was shot in one of the suburbs of Warri. It is a movie for the cinemas.
How long have you been acting?
I have been acting for a long time. I grew up in the industry. I was in JSS 2 when I had my first major role.
How come people only recently began getting used to you?
Well, I left for five years. When I was in the university, I was off and on in the industry. I was constantly rejected. But I kept coming back. I went for some auditions but they said no. They were looking for certain complexion and height. I still didn’t give up. I went back, completed my school and while I was on the verge of graduating, I was called to shoot a movie entitled, ‘Area Mama.’ That was in 2010. After that, I shot ‘White Hunters.’ Those were the two movies that launched me back.
‘Estate Runs’ is one of your recent movies. It has been getting some unfavourable reviews. What do you have to say about that?
We, Nigerians, overreact sometimes. If I show you the making of that movie, you will see there were more than 50 people in the room for that scene people have been talking about. Even my mum called me when she saw the movie. Thank God she was with me when we were shooting the movie. I told her that there were lesbian scenes in the movie. She said I could not do such roles. You see, this is my job and I can be a bit stubborn sometimes. I am an actress and versatility is the name of my profession. Because I loved the concept of the movie, I took the role.
They looked real, the lesbian parts...
Why wouldn’t I do my job well? Before then, I was in a movie entitled, ‘Deadly Plot.’ In the movie, I played the same role with Oge Okweyi, Yvonne Nelson and Eucharia. It is the nature of my job. Sometimes it is challenging.
You could have rejected the role...
It is a character. How about if I played an armed robber? Would it mean I steal? If I perform rituals in a movie, does that mean that I kill? It is a role. I don’t just reject a role. I have to know my character. I liked my character in this movie. My mother in the movie says men are bad, that they should not touch us and that if a guy touches you, you will either die or get pregnant. So, in the movie, my sister and I grow up hating men. So, if you hate men, what else are you to do to pleasure yourself? Well, in the end, we are busted. It is actually a movie with a lesson.
Are you saying that this situation actually happens in real life?
These are things that happen in real life. Our generation is seriously corrupt. It will take the grace of God for people to change. As doctors are wont to deliver women in labour, actors interpret what is in the society. The society is our ultimate source, but as an actress, I know where to draw the line between acting and living my life. I do not bring my work to the house.
You mean you are not a lesbian?
That is not even a question I want to answer.
There was a time you shaved your hair…
Yes, it was for an awareness campaign on cancer. I decided to support that campaign. It was nothing more.
Are you a fashionista?
You have to ask the fashion police that one o! But trust me, I have been in focus of fashion police a couple of times and they praised my taste.
When you step out, what kind of reactions do you look forward to?
I don’t know... wow or something like that. Basically, I do not like to be predictable. I love to be spontaneous. I like people to wonder any time I step out. I feel they want to cage me when I notice that I am predictable. My mum recently told me not to put on micro mini gowns. So, I am cutting down on some of those things. She monitors my movies and dressing. Well, what can I say? She does not like Estate Runs and many other explicit movies. She likes most of my movies anyway.
You have been working on this documentary on bullying. How is that like?
Yes, the documentary is one of my charity pieces for schools. When it eventually gets out, it will be for schools. Bullying is like the story of my life. I passed through that experience all through my educational life, even now. There was a time I did not write a particular exam because of a threat. They threatened to do things to me if I came for that exam (Statistics). So, I stayed back. I had to sit for that exam the following year.
Were they cult members?
No, they were a group of girls. It was way back in Kano. Perhaps they couldn’t stand my guts. Then, I had started acting. You know, some insecure people sometimes look for people to bully in order to satisfy themselves. I was so scared of them that I believed they could really harm me. So, I did not write that exam that day. It was that bad. Sometimes, I cried all day. During my undergraduate days in Kano, I was a victim of severe attacks by these girls. I don’t know what to call it, whether envy or insecurity, but they kept me in constant fear. I only had two friends: a guy and a girl (Habiba). They were the two people who stood by me in BUK (Bayero Univeristy, Kano). The funny thing is that after school, we lost contact. God bless them wherever they are.
You have grown a larger fan base on twitter and Instagram. How do you feel about that?
I feel happy. I am now in my comfort zone. The love has increased. I thought with all of these negative stuffs, I would not bounce back. I thank God I am back on my feet once more; that I am able to bring back positive energy to my fans. My fans are very passionate about me. They actually fight for and about me on twitter and Instagram. It is so nice. I laugh sometimes. I wish them a wonderful life. I am grateful for their love.
What word do you have for your fans?
I have had wonderful times with my fans. For those who have reacted to me negatively, I believe that it wasn’t intentional. We all go through bad moments in our lives. So, my message is for them to cheer up, get up, and step up their games. One needs to work hard, stay strong, be consistent and very prayerful. I pray a lot myself. Nollywood has its challenges. It is not as easy as viewers think. Hard work and prayers basically keep me standing. I appreciate their love. God bless them.
- See more at: http://www.kingebuka.com/2014/11/women-ask-me-for-marriage-halima.html#sthash.2lADlty0.dpuf
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