Hollywood Mama Blog

Star Actress Rita Dominic sat down to chat with Nonye Iwuagwu on Sep 15th 2007 here are the excerpts:

You have been out of town for some time?

Oh yes. I have been in Jos, shooting a movie. It is actually an Amstel Malta Box Office movie directed by Izu Ojukwu. It has been very tough.

Did you audition for the part or you were just given the role?

Come on! I don?t audition for movies again. I can?t remember the last time I auditioned. Those days are long gone.

You lost your father not too long ago?

Yes, and it was very sad. I loved my father so much. I am the last child and, as you know, most last children are usually close to their parents.

But how come your colleagues didn?t come for his burial? Was it a planned thing?

No. It wasn?t like that. Some of them came. Then again, I was in England when my father died. Just as I came back, I went to the village in preparation for the burial. I didn?t have time to make it officially known to my colleagues. But some of them came, and those who couldn?t come extended their sympathy.

What do you miss most about your father?

I think it is personal. I don?t think I want to talk about it on the pages of newspaper.

Have you always wanted to be an actress?

Oh yes. I don?t think I can remember a time in my life I never wanted to be an actress. Right from the time I was in primary school, I was always featuring in kiddies drama. During my secondary school days, I was a social prefect; I was vice-president of the dramatic club. In fact, I knew I was going to be an actress.

So your eyes were wide open when you decided to study Theatre Arts at the university.

Yes. It wasn?t by chance that I chose the course. My family knew that was my dream. I have always been an entertainer. When we were growing up, my friends would say they would want to be doctors, others would say they would want to be lawyers. But I always said I would be an actress. They would look at me as if I was committing a taboo. But I was unfazed. Now they are happy for me and congratulate me that I followed my dream.

For somebody who had a doctor for father, were your parents comfortable when you decided to go professional?

The truth is that I didn?t have any problem from anybody. I am not from that kind of family. They allowed us to follow our desires in life.

It was like you didn?t take a break. Almost immediately after your graduation, you went into full time acting.

Yes. It was by accident though. I ran into Basorge one day and he told me he was doing a movie, and he was looking for a fresh face. He asked me if I was interested. I agreed and we exchanged details. Two weeks after, he contacted me. That was how my journey began in the make-belief world.

Were you a success instantly?

I would say, kind of. I want to believe so. While my first project was being edited, a producer called and said he wanted me to be in his movie. I played the lead role again. From then on, I played lead roles till I left the industry for a while.

Why?

I was out of the country for some time.

You have done a thousand and one movies, which one do you think projected you most?

I have not done a thousand and one movies; I have not even done a hundred movies. I can?t really say a particular movie shot me up. All the very popular movies were released almost at the same time, so I can?t say which one made me popular.

Do you draw a line between Rita Dominic, the actress and Rita Dominic, the young lady?

As a matter fact, I try as much as possible to keep my personal life out of my career. That is not a question I will answer now.

Culled from the Punch Nigeria