I can act nude — Ani Iyoho

Ani Iyoho, one of the popular Nollywood faces, talks about the Nigerian movie industry

How did you become an actor?

I did not study theatre arts. I just participated in a workshop, called Made-in-Nigeria. We were about shooting a movie then and it was imperative that we had the workshop. But I have always had a flair for entertainment. I was in the choir while growing up and did a little bit of drama. I used to write songs and I thought I would be a musician but when I came to Lagos, Jim Iyke introduced me to acting.

What is your relationship with Jim Iyke?

He used to be a friend of my cousin and the family. But I never knew he was an actor. When I got to Lagos and started watching movies, I saw him. I told him I was interested and he promised to invite me whenever something came up. He did and I was auditioned for a movie, which I never knew the name but I got a script and costumes. I was just an extra and I never knew if it ever came out.

How did you launch into the industry?

I went to the National Theatre, and registered with the Actors Guild of Nigeria. Then I started looking for audition notices. It was tough back then, in 2004. I watched people who were selected, how they carried themselves before and after selection; I picked from them and I improved on myself. From there, I did my first movie, ‘Enslaved,’ and it gave me more encouragement to move on.

What challenges did you face?

I would not really count them as challenges now. I think they were a thing of the mind. I thought there were cartels (there probably are). Sometimes, people would come late, walk up to the directors and just whisper something to them and they would get roles. Meanwhile, some, who came early, would not be auditioned that day. Being new and did not have a job then, I had financial challenges. But now, I have a good reputation with some directors.

Where did you grow up?

I am from Akwa Ibom State. We moved around a lot between Lagos, Jos, Kaduna, Benin and Akwa Ibom; I did not really grow up in a particular place. We are eight including my step-brothers. My father was a lawyer and my mother is from Enugu State. I attended University of Calabar where I read Zoology. My parents wanted me to study medicine but I was good at reading and relating things to life.

What were you doing before acting?

I also ran a course on information technology at APTECH. But I had already started acting on the side. I focused a lot on acting after the studies and I do that full time now. I did a little of aviation consulting with my brother sometime then. I like to invest my money in real estate and farming too.

How do you handle competition?

When I go for auditions and I do not see known faces, I would feel the production isn’t a good one. Seeing actors on my level and those above me, challenges me to build my character and develop my confidence. Sometimes, I invite them for the auditions. I am not discouraged when I lose roles to them because I would know I lost to good friends of mine. The competition is important, not just among actors but in the industry as well. I worked in a country where there wasn’t much competition. When there is, it actually helps you to improve.

How would you rate Nollywood?

Nollywood is growing and it is the truth. Initially, I was one of those that used to diss how it was but we need to understand that the people who started it had very little funding, knowledge and equipment. But they have brought it to a level where we have been rated number two in the world in terms of production. We have to appreciate that. We are growing because new people are coming into the industry. The actors are getting better and the competition is also getting stronger. It is pushing the industry forward. We are not where we should be, but we are not definitely where we were.

What has been your worst moment?

Sometimes, what we term as worst is something we learn from. From my point of view, I have experiences people would term as the worst but all those experiences made me who I am. They made me, developed me and built my character, so I cannot call them worst.

Which of the experiences have you learnt from?

I have learnt from all of them. Every dark cloud, for me, has a silver lining. I make a conscious effort to learn something from it.

Why are you still single?

I have a fiancée and I am getting married soon. My kind of woman is a confident lady and every woman has that potential. I also like people with a happy energy, not easily depressed. I like women who are like me. I would keep the physical descriptions to myself.

Have you had embarrassing moments from fans?

I do not feel embarrassed. I actually feel honoured that they recognised my works and liked it. I have been embarrassed once by a director. I was working on a production sometime and I missed my continuity. I held my machete one way during the first take and held in another way during the second take. The director screamed at me. It was embarrassing but I learnt from it. Now, with every director I work with, I am at least one of the best three when it comes to continuity.

Have you won any awards yet?

I have not won any awards, but I have got a number of nominations. To me, that is winning. It is sort of an encouragement. I am optimistic that I would win a lot in the future.

How far are you willing to take your career?

There is no limit to any role in a movie or what I can do as an actor. I have no problem taking a nude role in a movie as well. If I do not do it, who will? If we do not show it because we are afraid of being tagged a bad person, then how do we educate the world? The movie industry is all about education, entertainment and enlightenment.

What does style mean to you?

Style, to me, means looking good; whether it is trending or not. I am actually changing my style. Now, I am a role model to people, who want to emulate my style. It is important I go with the trend. I have a stylist. You always have to be on-point because someone is watching you. I like pulling the formal look.

Do you have hobbies?

I like swimming, karaoke, beach outing but I am not much of a clubber or party-goer. I like nature exploration too.

What other areas of entertainment would you like to explore?

I like music, but I like people to focus on one particular thing. I am not particularly impressed by actors who become singers. I know we are multi-talented. I would like to explore mine and whatever song I write, I would give to another artiste to perform. I also run a start-up company.