Sultry actress, Queeneth Agbor and media personality has been a household name in the motion picture industry after she was pressured’ into acting and enrolled on the Royal Arts Academy for a three-month course.
She made her professional debut in October 2014 and has since appeared in numerous films, including Painful Kingdom, The Movement, Kiss and Tell, Omoge, Shattered Soul, Tears of Onuoma, I Come Lagos, Ibu and Akwa, Lost Identity, 3 Idiots, among many others.
Beyond the screen, the beautiful graduate of Microbiology from the University of Calabar is known for her philanthropy. She recently caused a buzz on social media when she celebrated her birthday by feeding 1000 inmates at the Ikoyi Custodial Centre.
Known for speaking openly about love, relationships, and mental health, Agbor speaks with SAM ANOKAM about her over a decade-long career, among other pertinent issues.
What sparked your initial passion for acting, and how has that drive evolved over your 10‑plus years in the business?
I was a very dramatic child. Growing up, I could literally fake and make-believe my way through anything, including sickness, just to avoid punishment or to avoid going on errands.
Growing up, school or church plays were not complete without me.
I started collecting awards without even knowing that one day I would be on the big screen because my late mother was a firm believer that education comes first, and whatever you need to do, you need to do it right with basic foundations.
In my over 10 years in the business, my passion has evolved through impacting myself with consistently honing my craft, developing other skills like singing, dancing and even learning lots of accents.
I also know that raw talent is not enough because it requires other qualities to achieve long-lasting success in the game.
Can you highlight a few roles or projects that have defined key milestones in your career and why they were pivotal for you?
My ability to be very versatile is what has kept me going without being stereotyped to a particular role, even when in my early career, I was almost stereotyped to crying roles because of my ability to bring out tears within a blink of an eye.
The two roles that defined key milestones in my career and were pivotal for me are my character in Hooked. I played the role of Jessica, where I had to use a Ghanaian accent.
Some people thought I was Ghanaian at some point.
Also, my character as Roschini in the movie, Namaste, where I had to use the Indian accent, gestures and everything they are known for.
Till date, I am mostly called Roschini Bless me, Bless me by fans when they see me.
How have you seen Nollywood change in terms of production quality, storytelling, and market reach since you first started?
Oh dear, Nollywood has changed a whole lot in terms of production quality, storylines and market reach as compared to the days of addendums, where you go on set to film and might never get to touch scripts, but the director will be writing on papers for you to rehearse and film immediately. Or the days when waka pass were treated as nothing.
Then, just to shoot one waka pass scene, you can be on set for 4 days without pay.
The new Nollywood is built on professionalism, where everything is done right and on point.
What have been the biggest challenges you have faced in the industry, and how did you navigate them?
One of my biggest challenges was the period I was blacklisted without even knowing, till God showed me mercy, and a director I was really close to spoke up.
Apparently, in my very busy periods, there were jobs I declined because of timing, and unfortunately, some happened over three times with some particular productions, and I was labelled as not liking working for certain productions, which was never true.
God showed me serious mercy that period as a covenant child. What was meant to break me lifted me.
Which of your performances are you most proud of, and what did you learn from that experience?
I am proud of all my performances because I put my best into all I do.
How do you balance maintaining artistic integrity while also meeting commercial expectations of the market?
From day one, I already defined my core values and what I want to achieve for my brand.
Over the years, I have set a clear vision and stuck to my values by staying true to my style, prioritising quality production over being in every movie just for shooting sake. I chose my project wisely.
I have learnt to never compromise. I will forever stay focused on my craft and be true to my artistic self.
What recent training, workshops, or mentorships have helped you sharpen your craft in the past few years?
As I earlier said, raw talent is not always enough. And to improve in your craft and stay tuned, you need to hone your craft. So, I do a lot of online classes on acting to refine my skills. I am open to always developing other skills, like I earlier said – learning different accents, dancing, singing and building a professional network by connecting with other actors, critically studying the craft by watching other great actors’ performances. One thing you should know is that I am my biggest critic
I learn from my errors.
In your opinion, what gaps still exist for actors in Nigeria, and what can be done to address them?
We seriously need to work on segregation. You tend to hear things like: she is a Lagos actor, he is an Asaba actor and all that.
Dividing Nollywood with names like Asabahood.
The most annoying one is, segregating actors into Epic actors, Showcase actors, Cinemas actors or Netflix actors.
There are lots of fantastic, versatile actors who are stuck simply because the system tagged /labelled them to a particular category.
It is something that seriously needs to be addressed in the industry.
What upcoming projects are you most excited about, and how do they differ from what you have done before?
There are lots of fantastic projects far from what I have ever done lined up that if I begin to spill, there might be no anticipation magic. So, I will definitely carry you guys along when it starts dropping like it’s hot.
What advice would you give to aspiring actors who hope to sustain a long‑term career in Nollywood?
Set your goals and core values, and focus on them. Never forget that slow and steady always wins the race. Never be on the fast track, so you don’t end up losing yourself in the name of desperation. Above all, put God first.
Do you still hold the view about dating Igbo men?
The topic about Igbo men is a huge setup so I jump and pass before my Igbo brothers come for me again.
Can you tell us about your love life?
My love life is very private. But one thing I will share for free is that I am seriously into self-love.
And it has been an amazing journey. You need to try it out.
How fulfilled are you feeding 1,000 inmates, and what other passion do you hope to accomplish in the nearest future?
Saying I feel fulfilled after feeding 1000 inmates is an understatement.
A scary dream that became a huge reality has suddenly immersed a new me. I will do it over and over again just to see the joy on their faces.
When it comes to inmates and anything that has to do with them, I am very passionate about it. It has gone beyond just feeding.
I call it Strength Beyond Walls – it is a powerful movement that is here to stay. You all should feel free to call me Queen Mother for the Inmates, aka The Voice of the Students!
One thing I will tell you is that the jail system is no longer punitive but rather correctional. They are not even called inmates there, but rather called Students.
True correction starts with compassion, and every little act of kindness can transform one’s life.
So, join and support the movement; Queeneth Agbor (Strength Beyond Walls).
