I like acting multiple roles -Linda Ejiofor

Linda Ejiofor, one of the promising Nollywood stars, is famous for her role in the popular TV soap, Tinsel. Bimpe, as she is fondly called by her fans, is currently one of the Nollywood’s delights. Since her debut movie role in ‘The Meeting’, she has been enjoying attention from all quarters. In this interview with MUTIAT ALLI, the graduate of Sociology from the University of Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, speaks about her foray into the world of make-believe, her dream roles amongst other interesting issues

What was growing up like for you?
It was the best childhood ever, I mean I had fun and am happy that my parents gave birth to more kids because if they did not have more kids I won’t be playing with brothers and sisters.

What memories of your childhood days do you love the most?
First we are five, I had brothers and sisters who I could talk to and play with, I also had my father who tells us folk tale at night, you know all those things at night when you are sleeping or you are about to go to bed and there is no light and you just surround your father.

My father told us stories, he said this is what we usually get when we were in the village with our parents and children will surround us, we gather around and tell us stories.

My father told us stories and we learnt a lot from the tortoise and the lion and monkeys and we sang some songs, some folk tale songs and it’s not like what children get now, it’s not the same thing,

and I pray that my father sees his grandchildren because I will so love him to say those stories to them because I could not remember how to sing those song but I will love for him to sing those songs to them.

How did your journey into acting start?
Before I entered the University of Port-Harcourt, River State to study Sociology, I had done a diploma course in Theatre Arts at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State. I think I was at the University of Ibadan for about three months.

However, when I was getting into the groove and enjoying it, my father pulled me out. He said, ‘No daughter of mine will go into acting’.

You know, if God has a plan for you, His plan will always set the motion. So, here I am as an actress again with his full support and I have made him proud.

How did you come to play Bimpe in Tinsel?
At first, I hated the character, the role and everything about her because she was just dumb. When I read my script and saw all the stupid things she had to do and the stupid questions she asked, I just concluded that she was dumb and sarcastic.

She was supposed to know the answers to the questions, but she never got it. So, I was always complaining to the director. But the writer kept telling me to enjoy the character.

He would say the only way to love the character is to enjoy the character; and before I knew it, I started enjoying the character. So, I had to go and watch a lot of dumb movies like Legally Blonde.

At a point, I had to go and watch Devil Wears Prada because I had to be Brenda’s P.A. I had to research on how to be like these people.

So, what’s your dream role now?
I’ve always wanted to try multi-personality disorder. In other words, I will like to act two or three people at the same time.

Yes, it is not easy, but it’s something I will love to play because I think being good is overrated. Too many people are playing good roles; so, I want to do something else.

Would you say at this point in your career you have arrived?
No I haven’t, and I have not learnt anything yet and am still learning, its d same way they say life is a learning process, am still learning, I haven’t arrived and am nowhere arrived.

The industry then before you joined Nollywood and what the industry is playing now, would you say there are changes?
Yes I would say they had been one or two changes and actors are being recognized now and people are looking at actors differently, we are coming for premiers for crying out loud,

we go to the cinema, we watch d movies, we do meet and greet, we do autograph signing, it’s getting better and am grateful to God that it’s my era that this kind of thing is happening and am thankful to the older pioneers and older actors who made it easy for us to come this far.