Stephanie Okereke-Linus is a Nollywood actress with rare talent and positive attitude. She is an award-winning actress and filmmaker, responsible for the wave-making movie, Dry. A super model and a mother, she in this exclusive interview with ISIGUZO DESTINY, shares some emotional moments of her life and career. Excerpts:
You started as a teenage girl in Nollywood, what will you say today about that teenage girl in “Compromise” and “Waterloo”?
She was a young girl who knew what she wanted and followed her heart. Her dream was to be an actor, something she found a lot of joy in doing. She was a bit rusty, but very confident and opened her mind and heart to learning all she could about a profession she really loved.
Did you ever see yourself coming this far in the industry? I’ve always believed in and worked towards a fulfilling career, but I take nothing for granted. I’m grateful for the journey, I’m grateful for the experiences, I’m grateful for the lessons learnt along the way and for all God has helped me achieve.
You emerged a runner-up in the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria pageant and did a bit of modeling. But it seems acting dominated and paid off more than the others?
Acting is where my heart has always been. Many people don’t know that I actually featured in 3 movies before participating in the beauty pageant. I started acting way before modeling. Right after I finished my final exams in Secondary School, I knew I wanted to be an actress. I was used to singing on stage, performing, taking part in school debates and dramas. Shortly after, I got a role in a movie called ‘Comp romi s e ’ where I just said one line. When I came back to school to pick up my results, my teachers told me they had seen me in t h e movie and that they weren’t surprised I had followed that path. However, I still do a bit of modeling every now and then.
What do you look out for before you accept a script or feature in a movie set?
I look out for a well written script with an idealistic story line and a role that would challenge me and cause me to move out of my comfort zone as an actor. A good production team with experienced and innovative minds is always an attraction too.
What made you go beyond acting, I mean going into script writing, directing and producing a movie?
I got to a point in my career where I wanted to do more than just acting. I had, and still have, a number of stories to tell; stories that inspire me, stories that I feel need to be told. I wanted to be more versatile, have more control of the creative process and to show that we can really do quality movies in Nollywood despite all the challenges. Also, there are not a lot of female directors and producers in our industry so it a way of encouraging women not to be afraid to go behind cameras and tell their stories.
Your movie Dry was well-received and has won an award as the Best Movie in Africa Magic Viewers Award, and has also been nominated for AMAA, how do you feel about Dry’s success?
I felt truly honoured and grateful to God. I am also very grateful to everyone who shared the passion of this project with me and believed in me enough to support my dream.
What inspired it and how much was invested in it?
Dry is inspired by the true life stories of several girls I have met over the years. Since I first heard about Vesico Vaginal Fistula as a student in the University, I embarked upon a research which took me around the country and to other African countries where I interacted closely with lots of young girls who had been forced into early marriage and had Fistula. Many of them shared their stories with me, which inspired the script for the film. I really can’t give you a sum of how much was invested and is still being invested in Dry. We are still promoting the movie across several African countries, and will be translating it into other languages soon. We will soon be producing DVD formats too. These projects cost money. There are also several projects attached to Dry which involve touching the lives of real women living with VVF positively by providing free repair surgeries. So, there is still more to do.
You know it was well-received right?
Dry has a strong and timely message that I’m glad that it has gotten a lot of positive reviews from viewers across the world.
How much was Dry able to rake in?
I can’t quantify that in figures yet. Dry is still showing in cinemas, private and mobile screenings across the world. We have also not yet begun DVD sales so it is still an ongoing process.
You shifted from the cliché of magic, love and ritual that often characterise Nollywood scripts to a very socially relevant issue VVF and child marriage, are you comfortable when people describe you as a social demagogue or critic because of the social relevance of the movie?
It’s true that Dry is a socially relevant movie, but that doesn’t mean I do not and will not still feature in movies about topics like love. Making this movie was a calling, something I just had to do because of a passion to touch the lives of women living with VVF. In doing this, I’ve had to address several social issues like gender inequality, early marriage, human rights and more. If this means I’ve been tagged a social demagogue, then fine. There are so many others like me who are raising their voices in support of such issues and I can only encourage even more people to join us.
Do you believe that art has a role to play in the society as regards character and nation building or do you believe in art for art sake?
There should always be a message behind every form of art. Yes, I strongly believe that art has a huge role to play in the society and can be a catalyst for change and positivity if used the right way.
What is the essential thing you think a movie should have?
A good movie should have, not just interesting but, endearing characters. Characters that, while watching the film, will make us empathize and care about what happens to them throughout their cinematic journey. For me personally, I think the characters put in play should not just feed us lines but should pull our heart strings and draw the viewer in. A good movie should also have a good plot. Of course, good acting is needed as well.
Which of the movies you participated in would you say is your best and why?
I have no best or worst. I cherish each and every one of them.
How have you used your career beyond filmmaking in Nigeria?
With the amplifying nature of media, filmmakers have a big tool in our hands. What I’ve tried to do is use this medium to ignite and open up social dialogue. The medium is powerful and can travel cutting across barriers of caste, religion and generations. Just one social film can create a huge difference and we as storytellers have a lot of power and responsibility.
Are there times when your career was threatened by some of the events that happened to you like the accident?
The accident I had some years ago was a life changing one. It affected not only my career, but other aspects of my life. But I’m grateful to God that in the end, he restored me and made everything beautiful.
The other day I called, I heard your baby crying at the background, can you give me an insight of what motherhood is like?
Motherhood is a beautiful experience. Nothing prepared me for the burst of joy I feel for my son. It’s like having my heart now outside my body. There is something about holding this precious little defenseless person that gives me such overwhelming joy. His smiles, his laughter; even the nights when he keeps me awake or makes me worried sick over his refusal to eat all sum up to make me content and complete. I couldn’t have wished for anything better.
How are you able to cope with filmmaking in spite of the enormous responsibilities you have as a wife and recently a mother?
I’m coping fine. God has been good to me. I am thankful for all the love and support I get from my husband who makes everything much easier. He is a strong pillar of support and always encourages me reach greater heights. I owe a huge part of my success to the love and understanding I get from him. My son has also been easy on me. He is very friendly with the people I entrust him with whenever I have to go out. Sometimes I think I miss him more than he misses me at such times because he simply plays a lot! I’m extremely grateful for trusted family members and friends who look after him in my absence. I really haven’t gone back to filmmaking yet since I became a mother but I’m sure when that time comes, we’ll all be fine.
Do you have any regrets in life?
No regrets, only lessons learnt. Failures are lessons that should help us to do better in future. I try not to regret anything that has happened in my life; it cannot be changed, undone or forgotten. I take them all as lessons learned and move on with grace.
What should Nigerians be expecting from you in the future?
Nigerians and the entire world should expect the best of everything I’ve got.
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