Delectable actress, Chioma Chukwuka Akpotha is often described as one of the respected and reserved actresses in the movie industry. Despite being in the industry for close to 2 decades, you can’t link this beautiful actress with any sort of scandal, she has been married for 14 years, but many don’t even have an idea of what Chioma’s husband and children look like. She has been able to successfully keep her private life away from social media, you can hardly hear anything about her marriage or private life on social media despite being very active on social media.
Chioma is an actress cum producer, she began her acting career with her debut in the movie titled “The Apple” and Handkerchief in the same year. So far she has featured in over 300 movies and still counting. In 2007, she received the Best Actress in a lead role at the Africa Movie Academy Awards for the movie “Sin Of The Flesh”.
She has also produced a good number of movies including the award-winning movie titled “On Bended Knees”. She has remained a mentor and role model to a lot of upcoming stars in the industry.
She launched a capacity-building platform in January 2019 called Master Class with Chioma, where young talents are taught how to be brilliant actors, screenwriters, filmmakers and what it takes to make it in the creative industry.
She hails from Oraifite Ekwusigo Local Government in Anambra State, she bagged a degree in Banking & Finance from Lagos State University before joining the movie industry.
When it comes to role interpretations, she knows how to cross the t’s and dot the i’s and owing to her success in the industry, she has bagged a lot of awards home and abroad and also has been a brand ambassador to lots of reputable brands in and outside the country such as Erisco Foods, The Telecommunication Giant Glo, Omo Detergent, Harpic and a host of others.
She is happily married to Franklyn Akpotha and their union is blessed with two children.
In an online interview with Reel Gist, she talked about her 18 years in the movie industry and why she doesn’t take up romantic roles in movies.
How long have you been in the industry?
Officially it is 18 years now.
Were you single when you got into the movie industry?
Yes, I was single when I got into the movie industry but I am happily married now with 2 kids.
How does your husband feel about your profession?
Luckily for me, I knew him before I got into the movie industry, so there was some sort of understanding and support from him, so it was very easy and he was always encouraging me.
What message do you have for women out there who believe once they get married, their career has to stop?
Honestly, you don’t have to stop because you can balance both but not with the same speed. So you can be a mum, wife and work as well, though it is not easy but it is important to do it.
Talking about mine, it wasn’t easy. I even had to take a break, I stopped acting for a while, then it was difficult catching up immediately again, so I always advise people not to take a very long break but a short break, then come back so you can catch up again. It is a difficult task especially in Nigeria but we are women and we multi-task. We can always do that. I don’t know about the men though, women have hands everywhere unlike men who would probably want to finish doing one thing before picking another.
Why do they tag you “The Virgin Face” in the industry?
(Laughs!!!) I don’t know, I think it is because most of the roles I interpret are always highly emotional, the good girl role.
Are you really a good girl?
(Laughs!!!) Yes, I am, I think I am. They say I am so I must believe I am a good girl. Most of the roles I interpret are always the good girl role who stays faithful and loving to her husband even if its a cheating husband that keeps maltreating her, she still remains true and faithful.
So playing such a role has put me in a box and not make me versatile as an actor and it has remained like that until I started producing my own movies. As a producer, I write my scripts and play any role I desire to play, so people can see Chioma can interpret other roles but that doesn’t change who Chioma is as a person. Let them just see that am a versatile actor who can interpret other roles perfectly.
Why is it that you don’t interpret romantic roles in movies, no kissing or hugging or have you recently started doing that?
Yes, it is my choice, let me clarify that I don’t do that in the real sense of it but I get around it. My focus is always like, what am I telling the people and viewers watching.
But don’t you think that comes with the job?
Yes, it does but my focus is the lesson that would be learnt in the film but there are some directors that would be like no.
If you are not going to bring it out, Chioma, I am not going to take that but I have done a couple of movies that I had to just bring it on to make it look real.
But do you think it is because you are married that is why you don’t feel free interpreting such roles?
No, I have always been like that, I had to make myself understand that, this is a job, this is what you have to do and if you have to do it, portraying a character in that light and doing what the director wants then it has to be done well.
I asked that question because you said you met your husband before you started acting, did you both discuss you playing such roles?
We both had an understanding, I told him this is my job and I have to do it effectively and he said I give you my blessings but always remember that there is someone who is jealous, sitting back at home, so I should try to be moderate in interpreting such roles.
If you get a role today that requires kissing, would you do it?
Hmm, sister, if the money involved is very good, why not. I would just tell my husband, see ooo, look at this money, would we just let it slip away? We would talk about it and see how we can go about it, but honestly, I am very grateful to God that I have a very understanding husband.
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