DANIEL Etim Effiong is a Nigerian Nollywood actor and film director. The style star, who is much loved for his simple yet classy taste in fashion has become darling to many. From luxe tuxedos to modish natives and dapper casuals, Etim Effiong’s career is on the rise with every role he portrays. Some of his roles in films that include Still Falling, Collision Course, The Men’s Club,’and Kofa are some of the reasons many of his fans can’t get enough of him. Born on June 24, the actor opens up to The Nation’s TUNRAYO ILESANMI in this interview.
Did you feel comfortable while quitting your job to switch to entertainment?
Initially, it was a struggle for me to make the switch because I was used to the structure of a 9 to 5. The salary and income and making the switch to entertainment was a walk of faith. I had prayed about it and spoken to a very few people about it, I also fasted and prayed and felt God was giving me the go ahead to take the leap of faith and that was it. I had thought about it for a long time but I could not do it but the moment I took time to pray and fast, I felt God was leading me to go ahead and I just did it.
How supportive has the government been to Nollywood in comparison to music?
I like to think of the music and film industry as step children of the Nigerian government. We have been treated alike but in recent years, the music industry has established itself even internationally and now everyone wants to associate with it. I feel like the music industry is that sibling that is highly successful and everyone wants to associate with her. Film on the other hand is still struggling, showing promises and people tend to rather go for the flashy and success story rather than the struggling one but give it time and the right support and the film industry would blossom. I feel like the government can do a lot more to support both the film and music industry but more for the film industry.
Considering how controversial Nollywood is, how have you been able to shield yourself and your family?
The way I shield myself from controversy is by minding my business and focusing on my craft and when I’m not working, I focus on my family and try to be present as much as I can because the job is quite tasking and takes you away from home a lot, you get to travel so the moment I’m home, I try to be present for my family. You get the odd request here and there and comments on social media but I ignore it and don’t pay attention. There are certain things that I value and those are the things I focus on which are my career, my family, my faith and inspiring people. This is where I keep my focus and every other thing is secondary. What you pay attention to is what would grow, flourish and thrive so if you don’t pay attention to controversies, naturally they would dry up. The blogs would go for their regular customers and try to poke people who they can get juice from as it were but if you poke me, you ain’t getting nothing because there’s nothing to get really and I believe that’s how I stay away from controversies. Also, the element of God’s grace is involved.
Do you ever go off script during your shoots?
I like to keep things fresh and so I might go off maybe 2-5 percent, so it is fresh and original and so it does not look like you are regurgitating the script verbatim but ultimately it would depend on the director you are working with. Some directors would like you to be a bit more original with the material while others would not mind a bit of flexibility. Ultimately, the goal is to make it original and own the lines while also being true to the lines and in doing that, it entails going off the script. I’m open to going off the script for the performance and directors.
Your wife is into media while you are into entertainment, how are you both able to navigate being in the limelight?
Before we got married, we both had our careers. When I married her, she was already in the media and working there, she was also in the New York film academy and working for Sahara reporters and when she met me, I was in South Africa studying film but I was already an actor. One of the goals coming together in marriage was that I would inspire her to be all she can be within the media space and also vice versa. So it was easy for me to inspire and push her and also encourage and enable her to grow and she is also doing the same in my life. Media and entertainment are complementary and so it’s easy for us to function together in our spaces and also together as a couple. She runs a talent management company and I am signed up there and that is one of the expressions in which we complement one another. Her company manages me and when she has some ideas, I help her write and flesh it out. I also give her creative ideas for execution and that is another way we complement each other. I think our union was pre-ordained by God because I think media and entertainment work beautifully together and that has been instrumental to both of our growth in the industry.
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You are known to always act romantic roles, does it portray your personality as a romantic person?
I would not claim to be a romantic person but I think my wife would do a better job at answering that. I just feel I do great at whatever role I am given and I try to do justice to it. But of course, in nollywood, the tendency is to get stereotyped and the onus is on the actor to avoid being limited or to take advantage and make it work. In my case, what has happened is that I’ve done one or two very successful romantic movies and people see that I am soft spoken and look a certain way and they feel I would do great and tend to want me to play more romantic roles but I would say that I enjoy playing other roles and I look forward to playing roles that are not romantic.
My wife is in the media space while I’m into entertainment but the truth is that we were both very successful in our careers before we even met albeit, relatively. When I met her, she was in the New York film academy and she was working with Sahara reporters while I was studying directing in South Africa. When we decided to get married, our expectations were we’d allow each other to grow in our career but coming together we have been able to inspire each other and give ourselves room to grow and express and thrive. And also because media and entertainment are complementary to each other, we find meeting points in our career where we can both complement each other, for example, she has a talent management company and I am one of her talents and her company manages me. When she has briefs I can support, I give her creative ideas to help with the execution and together, I’d like to believe we are a very formidable team. We understand that yes, we are a couple, we must also create room for individual success stories as well as success stories for us as a unit.
Do you feel more fulfilled in your career path? because I feel more fulfilled in entertainment and acting and also telling stories. I feel more fulfilled in arts than in engineering. Am I finding that fulfilment right now ? Yes. And the truth is that I am only just beginning, there’s more ahead of me and also more for me to offer.
You transitioned from oil and gas into acting and you are killing it, did you have any background in acting before the transition?
I did have some background in acting although most of my training was not formal, it was informal. My training was mostly acting in drama groups and clubs in secondary school and also in the university, I did some acting in church. My acting was mostly in drama clubs and church. Even in school, I was a science student and I studied engineering so it was not like I was trained for acting. All the acting I did was in extra curricular activities.
Has your wife’s presence in the media influenced your career one way or the other?
I would say yes, my wife’s career has positively influenced my career as an actor. She’s always on hand to advise me and help me make better decisions in jobs that I accept. Like I said earlier, her company manages me so there is more structure to my career and I’m generally just making better choices.
Does your wife have issues with you kissing the opposite sex in movies ?
I’ve answered this question a million times before. She met me as an actor and she appreciates the fact that I’m a professional actor and she does not have issues with my roles.
You are also a very good event host, how did you discover that side of you?
I started hosting events as far back as my days in university where I would host shows and events at church so I have had many years to practise and I think I’m only now expressing it at this level because I have had time to practise. I think acting also helps to get on stage because you can flip your hat and go from who you are in real life to acting as an event host and engaging with your audience and being great at it.
Which would you say is easier, stage plays or movies and if stage plays or movies, why?
I don’t think one is easier than the other but one of the unique things about stage is that you are live, there’s no ‘cut’ or opportunity to retake a line that you have lost or a feedback from your director to do it in a certain way or be better. What happens on stage is that you have all your lines and you have to go that way. You have to deliver in that moment but the difference is that you have many weeks of practice and so you practise again and again and then get on stage but for film, you might not get enough time to practise, once you hear ‘action’ ,you go, if you forget your lines or there’s an error, you can always get to do it again after the director yells ‘cut’. For me, there’s no one easier than the other, it’s just different spaces and requirements. The uniqueness of each of these platforms, the energy when you get on stage, the power and the immediate feedback from the responsiveness of the audience and the energy they are giving back, also the closeness of the camera, the camera representing the audience but you still have to give and deliver in such intimacy, it’s raw, potent and beautiful. So I would say they are different, different qualities and platforms.
Seeing how much of a believer you are, have you had to turn down roles that do not align with your faith?
Yes, there are roles that do not align with my values that I would turn down, have turned down and would still turn down. It’s not based on faith alone but also values. Faith is one of my values but there are values that I promote and align with my brand and if these stories or roles do not align with those values, I avoid them and turn them down.
What do you believe is the most challenging aspect of being an actor?
I believe the most challenging aspect of being an actor is how vulnerable you have to be again and again. It’s a calling to vulnerability and burying your soul to your audience and it can be quite demanding, draining and tasking for an actor. You just have to make sure that people you work with respect you and you have to put boundaries in place to protect yourself after being so vulnerable. Oftentimes, no one cares how you deliver but the truth is we actors also have to pay attention to our mental health. You know, after giving so much of yourself to your audience, who takes care of you ? We should pay attention to these things.
Do you believe talent or training is more important to an actor?
I believe they both go together. To get your talent where it ought to be, it needs to be refined through training and hard work. There are two sides of a coin and both must go hand in hand. If you must be the best that you are, you should also train.