Up and coming actress Linda Ejiofor is not new on TV. Famed for her role in popular TV soap Tinsel, Bimpe, as she’s fondly called by her fans, is new Nollywood sweetheart. The actress who landed her first movie role recently in a movie called The Meeting has been enjoying attention from all quarters. In this interview with MERCY MICHAEL, Linda speaks about her foray into the world of make believe, her role in the long-running soap opera, Tinsel. She also talks about her experience on her first movie set:
BEFORE Tinsel, what were you doing?
I was fresh out of school so I went into modelling part-time. While I was doing that, my friend told me about the audition for Tinsel. I didn’t want to do it at first because my dream was to come out of school, work in an advertising agency, behind the desk, 9 to 5 but my friend encouraged me to go for this because she said it’s good money and it’s Mnet. Being the kind of person I am, though just out of school, I was greatly independent. I decided to go to the audition so that at least I won’t have to ask my parents for money. I went for the audition and I guess I impressed them. That was how I landed the role Bimpe on Tinsel.
Why were you skeptical about going for the role?
I was skeptical because I had done three months in University of Ibadan studying Theatre Art. My elder brother was the one who bought me the form for Theatre Art. My dad asked me to come out because no daughter of his’ will become an actress. He was strongly against it. I kept begging him because I was already enjoying it within three months but he insisted I stopped and I came out of UI. Sometime after that, my friend told me about acting. By then I was past eighteen. I felt I was old enough to make a decision and just tell my parents. If they think it’s right then, fine. I first went to my mother. She was fully behind me or I was behind her (laughs). She went to meet my dad and spoke to him that he should let me do it. At first she didn’t want it herself but I convinced her, that acting was something I loved to do. She spoke to my dad who then looked at Pete Edoche, Olu Jacobs, RMD, Joke Silva, Rita Dominic, and all the good people and acting good roles. That was when he allowed me go for it. Today, my father is very proud of me. He points at me, saying ‘that’s my daughter. She’s Bimpe on Tinsel. She’s in another movie called The Meeting.’
When I first saw you in Tinsel, my first impression was that who is this girl with a ‘sharp mouth’? Is your mouth that ‘sharp’ in reality?
Yes, but in a way, the writers made me this. I’ve been stuck. I was shy but the writers made me like the character. I’ve been shooting that character for four years so it has to be me. I have to be like her. I don’t even rehearse. If I read a script now, I just know how she’s going to say it. I know how she’s going to act it and how funny it’s going to look or sound. So I just go and do it. When I’m with my friends and I talk, they always get surprised.
Don’t you scare the guys away with your ‘sharp mouth’?
No, I don’t drive guys away with my mouth. Don’t you think guys like girls who talk? I don’t know any guy who likes a girl who just keeps quite and doesn’t talk. So, please, let me talk.
It is said that you are the longest running cast member on Tinsel. Tell us about the experience.
Playing Bimpe role has been a blessing because I walk on the street and people scream when they see me. I didn’t use to have that reaction. I smile and wave. Even if I’m in a bad mood, I have to wave. They are my fans. They are the ones putting me here now. It has been a blessing. I get called up for other jobs because of the character and because of how I’ve played it. That was how I got called for The Meeting.
Could you tell us about the other jobs the Bimpe character has fetched you?
I did a short film. I am in the movie Heroes and Zeros which was recently premiered. I am also in The Meeting. My first major movie is The Meeting.
What is the difference between you and Bimpe?
We have one major difference; I’m not a dumb blonde. I’m not stupid. Bimpe is clueless.
Don’t you sometimes get bored acting the same character for four years?
I’m still loving Bimpe, so there is no sign of boredom at all, not even the slightest inch of it. If the next script comes out and it’s a Bimpe character, I will jump at it. I love that girl. There is no time for boredom. Even for other characters there is no time for boredom.
Does your contract prevent you from doing other soaps?
Yes. I can’t do soaps but I can do movies. I’m allowed to do movies.
It must be very financially rewarding then
It’s okay. I’m not complaining.
Being on the set of Tinsel for four years, have you taken a liking to a particular person?
I like everybody, they are all my friends. We are like one big family. Everybody likes everybody. I can’t point out who I like more. We are all friends. We go out together, we hang out together. We watch movies together.
When I visited the set, I noticed your closeness with Chris Attoh…
Chris is my friend. He’s in a serious relationship, so know that I don’t take a special liking to him.
What was the experience like on your first movie set, The Meeting?
With movie it was a different experience all together. Soap is multi-camp while movie is one camp. Apart from the fact that on Tinsel, I’ve been playing this character for about four years, movie set is something I’m getting to know, so I have to go everyday for rehearsals, get to know the character, talk about it with director, Mildred Okwo. She’s an intense director who wants the best. She would sit us down and ask the characters to relate. You have to love your character if Mildred Okwo is preaching it to you. She will ask you if you love your character. And when you tell her, she will ask if there is anything you want to add to your character.
Before The Meeting, you probably had your perception about Nollywood. Has it changed in anyway?
I had the perception that Nollywood movies were not really doing well but when Mildred called me, I read the script and saw that it has a fantastic storyline with A-list actors on the movie. With what she went through to make this movie a success, my perception has changed. I think Nollywood is going somewhere. They are going far.
What did you see in the script that makes the storyline fantastic?
It touches several aspects of the Nigeria life from political, economic, artistic, love and others. What I love more is the political aspect. It is something every Nigerian can relate with. I could actually put my money on it because it will be a blockbuster.
Could it be that playing the supporting lead is the catch for you?
Trust me, playing supporting lead wasn’t the catch. What caught me at first was that I had to work with Mildred because she’s a producer to reckon with. Also
I had to work with Rita Dominic, Nse Ikpe-Etim and Femi Jacobs. I’ve worked with him on Tinsel before, so I know how he acts. I had to work with Kate Henshaw. The second thing which caught me was the storyline. I wouldn’t say yes to any job if the story wasn’t fascinating. That was what caught me. I played Ejira, a girl in her 20s who lives in Abuja. She’s chic, mischievous, down-to-earth, and smart. She can also be unpredictable, opinionated and not afraid to say her mind.
Was it challenging for you to interpret?
I didn’t really have any challenge interpreting the role because the director, Mildred made it easy for us. If she had any problem with the way you interpret a particular scene she just tells you. I didn’t have to fidget because she tells me to relax and enjoy the scene. Maybe I would have had challenges interpreting the role but with the likes of Mildred, Rita, Nse and Kate my fears were completely gone. The entire cast made me comfortable. That’s where I learnt the true meaning of that the maxim, never judge a book by its cover. It’s so true because they are all nice people. I was comfortable with them. They helped me with researching about my character.
With a lot of up and coming actresses out there, why do you think you were picked?
I think they saw what they think Ejira had in me, the down-to-earth, mischievous part of me. They looked at me and said that’s our Ejira. That was how I landed the role.
For an up and coming actress, one will say you’ve started off on a very good foot. So what will inform your decision to pick up a script?
If the script doesn’t stereotype me as Bimpe, I will pick it. I don’t want to play a Bimpe. I want something challenging. I would pick a script if the story is good.
So right now, what is your dream role?
I’ve always wanted to try a role that has to do with multi-personality disorder. Acting two three people at the same time is not easy but it’s something I would love to play because I think being good is overrated. Too many people are playing good roles. So let me do something else.
So, what was it like kissing Femi in The Meeting?
Femi na my paddy now. No be lips-to-lips? I kissed him and there was nothing to it. We are friends. We were friends before The Meeting. We were cool and comfortable with it.
Does that mean there was no chemistry?
There was. There had to be chemistry for us to be cast together. We are both professionals so it didn’t go beyond that. He’s my friend and I’m his friend.
Apart from acting, what are your other interests?
I model part-time.
What did you study in school?
Sociology
How has it helped you with your acting career?
If I can’t study a person’s character, how would I be able to act the person? I have to sit down, study someone before I can interpret them. Sociology actually helps me because it’s the study of man and his environment, how the society affects the man and the man affect the society.
Presently you are enjoying the attention of featuring in a Nollywood movie. As you know it does come with its own pain as time goes by…
When I get to that bridge I will cross it, but by the grace of God I won’t get any scandals.
What other things are in the pipeline for you in terms of movies?
There are some scripts I have right now but I can’t talk about them yet because I don’t know if I would get the role. I have to go for a reading first, but the scripts are there.
