Uzor Arukwe is a Nigerian actor from Nkwerre, Imo State in the southeastern region of Nigeria. He is known for his works on screen and stage. His brilliant performance in various films and television series have stood him out but his performance in Omoni Oboli’s ‘Love in every word,’ earned him the moniker, ‘Odogwu paranran.’ The sterling actor and personality speaks with The Nation’s TUNRAYO ILESANMI on his career, and colleagues who he emulates and learns from in this interview.
There are many descriptive words associated with you. How do you describe yourself? Who is Uzor Arukwe ?
Uzor Arukwe is an actor, basically. He’s ambitious, self- driven, self-motivated and I like to be kind.
Your performance in “Love in Every Word” has been widely praised. You bring a different nuance to that performance. How did you prepare for the role of Odogwu?
To be honest, for that particular film, after I read the script I decided that I’ll just play him down a bit, and not make him overly dramatic or shouting. I decided to make him a little more mature than I’d normally play an Igbo character, but the process wasn’t a lot because it’s a YouTube film, I didn’t want to go too deep in the process, I just figured the character out, read the script and went with the flow.
Is there a particular role or film in your career that holds a special place in your heart? Why?
I liked the character from the film called Criminal. It’s on Prime. For one, the character’s name is uzor as well and he’s very different from most of the things I’ve played in the past and then the fact that he’s a thug and a criminal. The reason why I like it is because it’s in a light that a lot of people haven’t seen me in recent times.
You’ve played a range of characters, from serious roles to comedic ones. Who are your go-to actors?
I’m a big fan of Daniel, Kunle Remi, Blossom, Bimbo Ademoye, Teniola Aladise and a lot of other people too. I love their work. I love black actors a lot, but I also love a lot of international actors who are not black. But while I lean more to the black race is because they look like me and I try to just emulate some of their expressions and reactions, from Jamie Fox to Will Smith, to Denzel Washington, to Samuel. L. Jackson, Christian Bale and so much more. A lot of people have influenced me, in fact all actors influence me, whether comedic or serious actors. In Nigeria, most probably will be the veterans and some of the people in my generation, from RMD, Ramsey, Pete Edochie, Nkem Owo, Genevieve, Omotola, Uche Jumbo, Rita Dominic and so on. I just watch actors, see what they’re doing and like to learn.
You are one of the commercially and critically acclaimed actors in the industry. What are certain industry practices you feel we should have difficult conversations about? Are there any aspects of the Nigerian film industry that you think need improvement?
I think funding, mostly. We need more funding and investors. We need a proper studio, like Universal Studios, 25th Century, Fox, Paramount etc. We need the government to invest in us and in our industry a little bit more. Also, the renumeration of the actors as well; get royalties, not just getting our artist fee, but also get back end and all those things that come after the film has been sold.
The Importance of talent management is gradually gaining attention in the industry. As an actor under Guguru Talent Management, what do you think is the place of talent management in the film ecosystem?
It’s very important to have talent management at a certain level, because organization may become a problem. Organizing your calendar, your schedule and then being well represented is a very important part of being an artist and being well catered to. You need to have a team that recognizes the loopholes in building your brand and to fill them and make it work for you. I just feel like my talent managers have done a great job with me and so far it’s been good. We’ve had our ups and downs, but it is what it Is and talent management is important because you need to be well represented.
You often play roles that highlight Igbo culture, like Odogwu in Love in Every Word. What’s your opinion about the place of film in shaping audiences’ cultural worldview and thoughts?
Whether it’s cultural or non cultural, films have helped in shaping a lot of views and correcting a lot of notions and that’s why we have to be careful when we’re telling historical, traditional or cultural films, to be able to encapsulate it in a way that it’s representing the culture that we’re trying to sell properly and not misrepresent it or saying things that are out of place totally.
You are an exceptional actor, no doubt. But, do you think being Igbo influenced your approach to acting and storytelling?
No. As an artist, I’m a blank canvas. Of course, where I come from will influence my characterization when I have a play a character from that part of Nigeria, but other than that, I don’t think that as an artist, whether I’m Igbo or not will affect my ability to embody, whether an Hausa, Yoruba, Ibibiho, Ijaw character or whatever it is. It’ll be nice to embody it. I know that of course I have to come from somewhere and I feel very blessed to come from the Igbo culture which helps to shape my character when I have to act an Igbo character. But aside from that, I’m a blank canvas that anything can be painted on and it’ll come out well.
You have often spoken about typecasting and stereotypical roles. And, how you ensure not to be placed in the box by your nuance. Can you expand on this? And how do you think upcoming actors and the industry can gain from your nuance portrayal of these supposedly stereotypical roles?
There are no two Igbo men or two Yoruba men or two Hausa men who are the same. Mannerisms, nuances, reactions differ, because these people are of completely different personalities. So what I try to do in a situation where I’ve played a lot of Igbo characters is try to look for a nuance that will change, and separate one character from the other and it’s on me as an actor to be able to decide after I have completely understood who this character is. I understand his in and outs, his emotions, why he’s doing what he’s doing, his backstory, his background, his political views, his religious views. Just do my homework as an actor and I can now begin to create nuances as an actor or reactions that would further make this character stand out, make him three-dimensional and make people remember him.
You are, beyond anything else, an actor. But, you have recently stepped into producing. Why was this move important and what lessons can be drawn from it? And for the next generation actors, how important is it to them?
I started producing because I feel that as a film practitioner, once you’ve been in front of the camera, you also have to understand the dynamic that happens behind the camera and sometimes as a creative, you don’t always want to be in front of a camera, you most probably want to tell stories where you’re not necessarily acting. This particular project I’m doing, I’m acting in it, but I’m also producing because it’s a story that I want to tell. So, I feel in our trajectory as filmmakers, it’s only organic. Everyone wants to be promoted in their Organogram or in any industry that they find themselves in. So, it’s organic for us to take up other offices aside from just the office of the actor. There are a lot of things that happen below the line and I feel like sometimes there’s some money to be made below the line too. But overall, I just want to tell stories.
The major streaming services allegedly left the country. Currently, YouTube is being positioned as the next big deal for the industry. As an actor and producer, how do you enter this conversation? What are your thoughts?
To be honest, I’m an actor. If I’m going to be having a conversation about this, I’ll just stay within the confines of the questions you asked. YouTube is one of the biggest platforms everywhere in the world and they have been of great impact to a lot of people including myself. However I am an actor and I’m going to try to do my job in the best possible way. If in a situation where I cannot be on the big screen, I will keep acting because that’s what God has called me to do. If I can’t act in film, I’ll act in stage, but acting I will do. So, YouTube has taken over to a large extent because major practitioners and streaming platforms have left the country, but what I’ve been called to do is perform and act and not decide what platform my work is going on. I’m just grateful we’ll still have YouTube where we can earn money, while e wait for streaming platforms to come back and I still have to keep working my acting muscles so that I’m ready when they come. But for now, it’s Important that I keep acting and doing what God has called me to do.
With the accessibility of YouTube and its popularity with not just Nigerian but international audiences, what are certain regulations and structures that need to be put in place?
I don’t think there’s anything that needs to be added. In my opinion, I feel like whatever it is that they need to do has been done already and I feel like it’s okay. It’s a platform that helps you to make money, but they have their community guidelines and as long as you don’t falter, you will make money and do well for yourself. So, I don’t think there’s anything I want to add. I think they’ve covered it all and done well. It’ll be very mediocre and very callous to say there are certain things, policies I’d like to add. They’ve put a lot of food on a lot of tables, for actors and co-members, so I think it’s more than fair and I appreciate them for that.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to aspiring actors trying to break into Nollywood?
Stay true to yourself. Keep your pride aside, keep your hunger for fame aside, work on the craft itself. The art itself is the most important thing. It might be slow, but it’ll eventually pay off. So, stay true to yourself and your craft. Always work your acting muscles, always get better, because in the work that we do, criticism is part of it and when people say you can do better, take advice, take criticisms when given. Art is a very dynamic industry. It’s not like science where 1+1 will always be 2. In arts, it could evolve, it could change to more. There are techniques that would change and get better tomorrow so that the fluidity of your performance gets better and more organic. Keep working on your art and stay true to God.
