Young, talented and vibrant, he clinched one of the most coveted
awards at the maiden edition of the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards
(AMVCA) — Best Actor in a Movie — and has since received several offers
for endorsement deals and more movie roles.
In this interview, OC Ukeje opens up on his acting career, his music career and personal matters.
What does OC stand for?
Okechukwu Chukwuemeka
What effect has winning at AMVCA had on your career?
Winning has opened up a different version of exposure for me.
I was in Malawi a couple of days ago and it was impressive to see
people recognise me; I am grateful for that. A lot of people want to do
interviews but I am working on a movie right now and I am scheduled for
photo shoots, so it’s a tad difficult to juggle all that with work right
now. A few producers have called concerning movie roles and I have been
contacted regarding an endorsement deal and I know this is just the
beginning, so I am indeed grateful.
What was the first name that popped into your head the moment your name was announced as winner of the Best Actor in a Drama category?
Ibukun Togonu, simply because she is the woman I hope to marry and
she was out of the country at the time of the AMVCAs so I had no idea
if she had already heard. I just wanted to call her immediately to give
her the good news.
You played a street urchin in Kenneth Gyang’s Confusion Na wa. How were you able to pull yourself into that character?
People see you on the outside and assume you are always the prim
and proper guy you portray yourself as; and as much as I generally try
to keep it prim and proper, I have my crazy and fun side. It’s not crazy
like ridiculously crazy but I have my really fun side. I also grew up
in Orile Iganmu and I have been to Ajegunle; I have been to the market
so I basically had a rounded idea of what to do as a street urchin but
of course I gave it my own twist here and there. One thing I was taught
in the New York Film Academy is to always jot down things you witness
around you because they may come in handy while playing a character.
Have you had any formal training in acting?
I attended an acting workshop at the New York Film Academy. It was
an eight-week workshop but I have had bits of informal training, such
as the one with Norbert Young, a three-day intensive crash course
organised by Amstel Malta, and the one with Rhythm of The Black Man
before I started with stage plays.
What was growing up like for you?
I have two siblings, an older brother and a younger sister.
Growing up was pretty interesting. I was the one who always slept early.
My dad was a caterer; he worked at the culinary school of Federal
Palace Hotel. My mom was a civil servant but she has retired now. Though
we lived in Orile Iganmu, we were kind of sheltered and never really
let outside to play on the streets. You could say we had a sort of
‘cream’ upbringing even though people would assume that living in a
rough area, we should in turn lead rough lives. But it didn’t turn out
that way. I think it was good for us because now those things we passed
through helped us find stability. We had our rough seasons when my dad
lost his job and my mum was handling all the business of taking care of
the children and then we lost the house as well and had to move in with
our cousins. So it was 13 people living in a three-bedroom flat, which
was very hectic. My dad passed on in 1997 and my mum got relocated to
Abuja, so all the kids started living on their own in different parts of
the country. It was a really challenging childhood.
Who do you look up to in the movie industry?
I have always had respect for Ramsey Noah. I think he has been
phenomenal in his career and I also look up to RMD though he isn’t
acting much now. And even though Ramsey and I have done Confusion Na Wa
together, I still want to do a proper film with him. On the
international scene, it would be such a dream to work with Leonardo
DiCaprio and Denzel Washington. After working with those two, I will
truly feel fulfilled as an actor. I do feel like I am on my way to
acting with the world’s bests because I have had a scene with Hollywood
actor Chiwetel Ejiofor in Half of a Yellow sun, the adaptation. Though a
lot of scenes were cut out of the movie, mine were not cut because that
was part of the agreement I signed with the team. I was reading for
another character but when the list came out, someone else was given
that role. So I was contacted about this other role and one of the perks
was that my scenes were not going to be cut out and it was a good
opportunity to act alongside people like Chiwetel; it’s good for your
portfolio.
What female actor would you love to do a movie with?
I would love to act with Genevieve Nnaji. I have seen a couple of
her movies and everything I have seen I have liked, so it would be a
pleasure to work with her.
How do you unwind?
I pretty much like to lie in bed and watch a good movie. There are
days I go out and hang with my friends but fun for me is really
watching a good movie on my laptop.
What other awards have you won?
I have won the Africa Movie Academy Awards for the Best Upcoming
Act (2008) and the 2010 City People Award. In 2006, I emerged winner of
the Amstel Malta Box Office, a reality show for young actors.
What has been your most challenging film?
I would say White Waters because I had to portray a lot of
emotions with very few words. It was also my first feature film after
winning AMBO and I got to work with great accomplished stars so I really
had to up my game.
What are your top five movies?
Gladiators, Legends of the Fall,Crash, Man on Fire and Warrior
What is your go-to fashion accessory?
A neck chain.
Back to your award, do you think you deserved to win in the Best Actor in a Drama category?
Well, the public voted for me, so yes, I do deserve the award. Not
all the award categories were voted for by the general public but this
one was; and somehow, people voted for me. A couple of my friends went
out of their way to ensure that their circles voted for me; they
announced on Facebook, on Twitter and even sent out Blackberry broadcast
messages on my behalf. The love was just overwhelming.
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