Mbong Amata: ‘Why I take time between movies’

Why did you take to acting?   I knew a part of me yearned to express myself through the arts and the performing arts was my favorite. So in 2002 I got wind that Jeta was auditioning for a film in Calabar, I decided to give it a shot. He took one look at me […]

Why did you take to acting?

 

I knew a part of me yearned to express myself through the arts and the performing arts was my favorite. So in 2002 I got wind that Jeta was auditioning for a film in Calabar, I decided to give it a shot. He took one look at me and said, “This is where you belong.”

How many movies have you featured in?

Not too many since 2002, say about 10

What has been your most challenging role since you started acting?

At first it used to be Amazing Grace, but now it is Black Gold. A film that has taken almost two years for Jeta and I to produce. Shooting from Makurdi in Benue State to Warri and then Los Angeles, being on set with the likes of Hollywood top shots like Billy Zane, Sarah Wayne Callies (Dr. Sarah Tancredi in Prison Break), Vivica Fox and many others. It was surely one of my most challenging movies. Compared to it, Amazing Grace is a piece of cake.

Coming back to the movie Black Gold, what was the experience like with Hollywood stars?

It was an astounding experience. ‘Black Gold’ is a movie that took Jeta and I almost two years to make. Being on set with Hollywood top shots was a colossal leap for me. At the end of the shooting, Sarah and I had become best friends and she does have a daughter like me. In Los Angeles, we would take our daughters out to the beach and other fun places. She even introduced me to her agents. As for Billy Zane, Jeta and I had met him several years ago in Cannes, France, when we premiered Amazing Grace. He was remarkable on set, professional, on time and was always respectful in suggestions, and their level of discipline towards work on set was simply amazing. They inspired me a great deal; we were like one big happy family.

Some people argue that Nollywood is all about shouting, juju and a whole lot of unnecessary stuff. What is your take on this?

Responses on this differ. What some people would consider wraithlike or ethereal may be what others deem divine and consecrated. For the shouting, Nigerians naturally are assertive in dialogue; this may resonate as being aggressive. If this is captured in a Nigerian film then it best mirrors and captures the Nigerian society.

Everything seen in a Nollywood movie can be easily related to Nigerians, and that is why Nollywood is so successful. Irrespective of what some quarters may say, Nollywood is a great phenomenon.

You were off the movie radar after Amazing Grace. Why happened?

I got married and had my baby. My baby needed me and that was why I was off the entertainment radar, but now I am back with a bang.

Like my husband, he makes one film in two to three years but the impact is felt for several years later. I’m also an African woman with a duty to take care of my home which comes first, my daughter and my husband. And I love my duties.

How have you been coping with marital life, motherhood and remaining focused on your career?

First and foremost I’d say God Himself is the pillar of my marriage. I’m happy to say that I am blessed with a very sensitive and supportive partner who understands in every way. My daughter is just a wonder kid because God gave me one who actually makes my job as a mother very interesting and a beautiful experience. When you have all of these I don’t think there’s no way you can’t find that perfect balance between playing the role of a wife, mother and a career woman.

How have you managed to remain trim even after childbirth?

I am sinewy by nature but I don’t take that fact for granted so I work out a lot. Most of my friends call me a workout junkie. I am very particular about how, when and what I eat.

What is the most embarrassing thing any fan has done to you?

I’m a very quiet person and I hardly go out unless necessary. Like every woman, you get hit on when you make yourself available. If you mean crazy messages on my Facebook page, crank calls or suggestive text messages, I deal with them in a mature way. Every attractive woman goes through it, especially one in the movie business.

What fond memories do you have of your childhood days?

I would say learning how to cook. But then I cherish some moments that brought me into this stage of my life. When I was still a baby in 1986, my mom entered me in the pears baby competition – and I won! Then I won the Junior Miss Fanta Pageant in 1992 and the following year, I was crowned Junior Miss Aqua Cross by Cecelia Ekpeyong, the first female deputy governor of Cross River State.

Then, in 2003, my cousins in Akwa Ibom told me about the Most Beautiful Girl Pageant being held there, and I entered that and also won the title. So even though I never anticipated an acting career, I knew that one way or another, I would definitely have a future in the entertainment industry.

How was your first day on set?

Wow, now that’s a tough one. It was on the set of Mutanda directed by Jeta. As excited as I was to start a new dream I was nervous, but Jeta made it easy. If there’s one thing he’s really great at, it’s with actors and getting comfortable into their roles.

Do we see you diversifying into the musical line as most Nollywood actors and actresses are doing now?

Simply put, I’m not a musician. I can sing in church of course, or sing a rhyme to my daughter, but otherwise, no way!

If you were not into acting, what would you have been doing?

I’d definitely be pursuing a career in the diplomatic world

What advice do you have for young stars aspiring to be like you?

Stay focused and for the women marry a good husband because, for me, I am married to one.

What would you say has been your lowest moment in your acting career?

Lowest moment, working with the wrong director two years ago. Do not go asking about the name, but for sure it was definitely one moment I dread in my life.