JUDITH AUDU - The Strength within.

As a child, what did you love doing?

What were your hopes and dreams?

As I child I loved listening to music and watching movies.

I wanted to grow up to be a Broadcaster or a Diplomat

What educational qualifications do you possess and how are they related to your chosen career?

I hold a Master’s degree in public and international affairs and a BA in French both from the University of Lagos, I was training to be a Diplomat, I still call myself a career diplomat. As an actor I see myself as an ambassador and to a large extent my French classes influenced my decision to go into acting full time as we had to always act out our literature text and that made me realized how much I loved to act.

Did you ever imagine you would one day become an acclaimed and celebrated actress? What influenced your desire for acting?

Not at all!!! I would never have thought I would one day be here. I used to be shy while growing up, I just wanted to be a broadcaster but didn't think I would be able to face the camera but as I grew older a lot of things changed, when I started modeling I gradually became very bold.

Describe your personality?

I am a very calm person, I love to listen and learn new things. I love to help out when I am in a position to, I am very focused, I love to work very hard maybe too hard sometimes, I critique myself a lot and push myself to always improve and be better. I’m always contented with what I have, never interested in what the next person has. I am a very determined lady and I never give up on a vision, I find ways to make it happen without compromising my integrity, I look out for my friends and make efforts to make positive impact in the lives of anyone around me, I believe when we all grow together, everyone is happy and feel fulfilled, that is real success not when am the only one growing. Sometimes my personality can be complex, I can be a very quite person if am around new people I prefer to know them before I open up but if when I am around people I know there is never a boring moment as we can talk all day. I come out as a fun loving person but I tend to enjoy the privacy of just being at home, I get bored when I am out for too long. I hate been idle, the busier I get the happier I am.

Tell us about the first role you played in a movie, what was your initial experience like?

My first movie role was in a movie called ‘Life is Beautiful’ the part 2 of ‘Tears of the Ghetto’ in 2004, it was a movie by Femi Ogedengbe. I played a character called ‘Jessi’, it was a ghetto movie and I spoke vernacular (Nigerian Pidgin English) which came as a surprise to my entire household as we never spoke pidgin at home, it was a very awesome experience for me, all the actors on the set were professionals and carried everyone along, I enjoyed every moment on the set, it was a smooth ride for me as I have been acting on stage for about 3 years at the time so I was on top of my game, but acting on screen was a whole new ball game as I had to cut down on mannerisms, facial expressions, my voice projection and making my acting look larger than life as we do on stage but I learnt fast, and looked on to the next acting gig.

Were there times when you wanted to give it all up?

If YES, what kept you going?

Oh! There’s been soooooooo many times I have given up totally on acting and called my friends in corporate sector to get me a job. I always remember I have a master’s degree but the passion to be in entertainment keeps me going, the joy I get when am around a movie set is indescribable, I feel alive whenever am acting or producing. It gets difficult very difficult, sometimes things look almost impossible or unachievable. Raising funds for projects is almost impossible sometimes, sometimes one is out of a job for a long time and there is always this constant searching for job after every job. It can get tiring and one will want to just have a constant job to have that financial security but when I remember how I can never find fulfillment doing any other job, I tend to sit down and think of something new to do just to remain in the playing area of what I love to do.

What episode in your career would you term as the most challenging?

What is the most challenging episode???...am not sure…there have been a lot…from questioning my personality and dreams to never mastering the funds raising skills

What’s would you attribute to your successes, determination or passion?

Both…I am determined to bring my dreams to life. This is fueled by my passion and drive to make sure it happens no matter the storms or obstacles and circumstances. So my success today is due to my relentlessness, determination and the passion that drives me.

What has been your biggest role in a movie and how challenging was it for you?Every role I have ever played no matter how small are seen as big and challenging to me - bringing a character that isn’t me to life as I have to try and make it believable to whoever is watching. So for me every opportunity I get to be in front of the camera is a challenge to prove to myself that I am doing what I’m supposed to be doing and I try as much as I can to put my best foot forward.

Have you ever portrayed a role that reflected you real personality?

Not at all. Come to think of it, I’ve never played any role that is close to Judith. I seem to get more roles that are the opposite my real personality, I have had a few though that share some personality trait. I always look out for scripts that are far from who I am so I get challenged to search deep and not just do surface acting but give the character depth which is easier to achieve if it’s a character not close to the real you.

Did it make it easy for you to get into character?

Sure, when playing a character that has the same attributes as you, it’s almost like you are not acting as you end up being you on screen and when people watch all they see is you not a different person.

Would you say it’s easy being an actress in Nollywood?

Does the profession offer equal opportunities to both men and women.?

I haven’t tried to act elsewhere, I only know Nollywood.

If it’s easy? Am not sure any profession is ‘easy’ as such, there will always be challenges which in an industry like Nollywood is usually won if one remains consistent, persistent, hardworking, keep training to remain on top of your game, find ways to stand out and keep pushing. If it offers equal opportunities for both male and female, I will say yes as a male will not play a female role and Vis versa. There is always an opportunity for everyone, the trick is being at the right place at the right time and when you are a perfect cast for a production you will sure get the job.

From acting to producing, what really instigated the move?

I sincerely see it as a promotion. I wanted to be able to do more in my field, I wanted to be able to not just be on the receiving end but also be a voice that can tell stories and bring amazing scripts to life.

Do you feel fulfilled as a producer?

To an extent yes, I feel much fulfilled each time I am able to start and end a project. As a producer, I can be everything and still have total control of all that needs to be done.

What was the inspiration behind your movie, JUST NOT MARRIED?

To be sincere, there wasn’t a particular ‘inspiration’ behind the project. An opportunity showed up to produce a feature film so I spoke with the writer Lani Aisida, we went back and forth and then a script was born.

How was the experience for you?

The experience was the best thing that’s happened to me in the Movie Industry and I will do it exactly the same way if given an opportunity again. We took our time to plan well and it ended up coming out even way better than we planned. Producing the movie ‘JUST NOT MARRIED’ changed everything, the success of the movie made it all worth it, all the risk we took, it all paid off.

If Nollywood was to make a movie about your life, who would you pick to play your character?

Hmmmmmm. I have never thought about that you know…I sincerely don’t know as the only person that has close characteristics with me that would be Kiki Omeili I think…

Have you ever felt pressured or intimidated by a fellow actor/actress? Does such a thing even exist?

Never. I never get intimidated even when I meet actors that are obviously way more talented. I admire them but never get intimidated or pressured instead I crave to work with them so I can learn. I am one of those few people that never falls victim to peer pressure, I believe I am unique and I am my own person. I can never be anyone just like no one can be me.

And yes, intimidation does exist as I have seen people fall for it several times. They get intimidated and perform poorly because all of a sudden they feel less an actor, it is very common when acting with a veteran.

You won an award last year for “BEST ACTRESS” by starring in your own movie. Tell us how fulfilling that was for you.

The way that made me feel cant even be described in words, winning two awards for Best Actress and getting 2 nominations for Best Producer…It proved you can properly produced your movie and still be able to act very well in it without getting distracted. The awards couldn’t have come at a better time as everyone wanted to know if I was still an actor and lol and behold I got awards for it and that automatically answered the questions. I felt very fulfilled to be recognized, appreciated and awarded doing what I love doing and getting it for my performance in a movie I produced was just overwhelming and awesome.

What’s your take on Family and Marriage?

Family always comes first for me in everything I do. Marriage is an institution that should only be entered when two people are truly ready, not pressured by the society but ready as adults to take on the journey together because when they are not ready the children are the ones that suffer it. It’s a beautiful journey if it’s done with someone that loves and respect you, someone you can share laughs with, a friend to always talk to, share dreams with, one that supports what you believe in and only wants to see you become a much better person.

What would you say comes first, your career or your family? How do you prioritize?

Family will always come first before anything.

Has being a celebrity affected your family life or relationships in anyway?

I don’t see myself as a celebrity. I still do everything I used to do, I am still me and would not change that. I am busier than I use to be, which is everyone prayer. I work but that doesn’t affect me as I always make sure I create time to be at family functions. I am still me.

Do you sometimes wish you were not famous?

I am not famous…not yet. I don’t see myself as been famous as I can still walk on the streets unnoticed. They sometimes tell me I look like someone they see on TV, so I can either agree or disagree…lol

What’s your most satisfying role in a movie?

Every challenging role satisfies me. When I have to dig deep and feel like something was taken away from me after playing the character I feel fulfilled and satisfied as an actor.

In view of your successes/ experience, what ‘bitter truth’ would you give to aspiring actors/ actresses?

Nothing is ever as easy as it seems. There is no over night success. If you are never prepared and ready, failure is certain. Humility is not Stupidity. Listening is a skill. Drop your pride and ego if you want to go far. If you doubt your ability for a second, you’ve given room to failure and procrastination. Never be late, always be on time for auditions and shoots. Acting is not a hobby, it’s a full time job. Keep training yourself, read acting books, watch online videos, if you can afford it, go to an acting school. You will get many ‘NOs’ it doesn’t mean you are not good, it means you are not right for that particular role, so don’t give up hope because of that. Remember it only take one YES and your story changes. Don’t take any opportunity you get for granted, you never know who is watching. So keep working hard, keep pushing, never stop believing in yourself, make sure you remain consistent and never quit no matter how difficult things get.

What was your most embarrassing moment on stage?

One time we went for a stage performance and someone was to fire a gun, so the person back stage doing the effect did the sound before the gun was even raised and that messed up the entire performance it was so embarrassing we all went back home without saying a single word to ourselves that day.

If you could eliminate one odour, what would that be?

If I had the power to eliminate one odour from the world, I would eliminate Mouth Odour.

What do you consider your greatest achievement so far?

Producing my first feature film that made a loud statement. One that earned me and my team loads of accolades, recognitions and awards. It took us straight to the top, made me one of the most sought after producers over night and premiered in one of the biggest film festivals in the world - The Toronto International Film Festival. Making the movie ‘Just Not Married’ my greatest achievements yet!!!

If you could only save one thing in your handbag, what would that be?

If I could save only one thing from my handbag it will be my phone.

If you could retract one lie you’ve told, what would that be?

I make efforts to always be truthful

What would I find in your refrigerator?

Lots of different kinds of Meats, Frozen Vegetables, etc.

What’s your next BIG thing?

I cant say if it’s a BIG thing till its done, I try to make a very good film and God makes it BIG. Am working on my next feature film, very amazing script am presently sourcing for funds and I pray God sends a helper / Angel Investor my way soon.

Photography by Ellis Mbeku for EMSTUDIOSng

www.emstudiosng.com

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