Benita Nzeribe started out as a teen star in Nollywood and later grew into adulthood long before the industry started experiencing the boom it now enjoys. Though quick to say she got into the industry by accident, the light-complexioned beau has carved a niche for herself. That is why her endorsement as Ambassador for two separate institutions is not a surprise. In this interview with ORUKPE NELSON, she talked about her career, endorsements and how a woman once vented anger on her in an aircraft.

As a safety ambassador for Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, what have you been doing?

Our television commercial is on air and we are working on a project that I am not allowed to talk about for now. And outside NAMA, we have a soccer television reality show coming up soon which includes me, Kanu Nwankwo, Chioma Chukwuka Akpotha and others sponsored by some banks and oil companies.

Did you take a break from acting?

I did not take a break from movie. We premiered a movie in London on August 8 which incidentally was my birthday. I have been busy shooting movies and television commercials.

When did you start acting?

I started acting at a young age. I hit stardom at 18 years old and I have been around for 15 years. Then I used to wear heavy make-up so you don’t see my real age. As a green horn, you have to put in your best so I wasn’t acting my age because I wanted to meet up.

What was your first movie?

My first movie was in 2000 titled ‘Gold Diggers’ which also featured stars like Jim Iyke, Olu Jacobs and others. It was produced and directed by Ekenna Igwe. I think I was paid N30,000. It is the most challenging movie role that will be an epic film titled ‘Land of the Dwarfs’ which had 30 dwarfs and was directed by Andy Amenechi. I was a fearless medicine woman who led the warriors on their quest for the golden axe kept in a shrine at the dwarf’s homeland. The movie was shot on a hill and thick forest in Enugu and sometimes even by 3.00am we were still filming whether it was raining or not. It was not funny at all. And I was the only woman among the 12 warriors I led to get the golden axe. It took me two months to recover from the grazes, mosquito bites and all that. It was really rough. However, I acted in a series titled Beyond Our Dream before switching to movies.

Do you plan on producing your own movie someday?

If it is producing movies, I would have done that a long time ago because I have the wherewithal to handle that. But I just don’t want to do that. Must I follow the trend? There are many upcoming acts in the industry.

Does that scare you?

There are so many of them because it is a very big industry and it will accommodate all of us. I don’t have to compete with anybody, I am just me. I am still me and I am still here. Nollywood then and now, I will call Nollywood giant because we have grown. I mean the world is standing still for us, take it or leave it Nollywood is a name to reckon with all over the world. We have made a mark. Back then when you say you wanted to be an actress, people would look at you as a never-do-well.

But these days, if you have got what it takes, let’s meet in Nollywood.

What do you think is lacking in Nollywood?

I will just say we are learning. In life, you fall and you get up, you make mistakes and you learn from your mistakes as well. Yes, we make mistakes in Nollywood but we learn from it to improve our industry. We are not lacking anything, we are actually performing magic. No doubt, some movies are worth it and some are not, but we keep growing. Just like acting, you get better with more jobs.

Playing bitchy roles

In real life, I’m a humble person. I am a professional to the core. I live my roles so once I am in front of the camera, I am that character until the camera goes off. And once the camera goes off, I go back to being Benita. Since it is all about make believe, when I act bitchy role, you will think I am bitchy. I act any role given to me to the best of my ability for myself and also to put a smile on my director’s face. I love God passionately; I am very humble sometimes to a fault and easy-going. I like to laugh though sometimes my good heart puts me in trouble.

How have you been able to give back to the society?

I am giving back to the society in an enormous way which I don’t like talking about. I own a foundation which helps abandoned babies and a particular grade of widows. It is on a monthly basis because they have to eat and survive. It is just like paying bills. When you give back to the society, you do it so that God will bless you and that has been my secret.

Is there a man in your life?

You will meet him soon.

What’s the weirdest thing someone has said to you?

We had boarded an aeroplane and a woman sat beside me, but she didn’t talk to me. But just as the plane began to taxi, she turned to me and said angrily, ‘I hate you so much’. But I pretended as if I did not hear her. When she saw that I didn’t react, she repeated the same thing. Then I said, ‘Ma, have I offended you? I am not sure I have met you before’. Immediately, she replied, ‘No, because my husband is in love with you’. I was dumbfounded. I became very humble instantly because the airplane doors were already closed but if it were open, I would have disembarked.

I thought of my life first, then, I began to chat with her. By the time we landed, we had become friends. But when she started, it was not funny.