Kelvin Ikeduba is widely known by his fans as the Bad Boy of Nollywood
because the graduate of Economics from the University of Benin has
natural affinity for the “Bad Boy” roles which he interprets with
smugness and ease.
Though he started with English movies but his foray into the Yoruba
genre of films has been greeted with enormous success. In this interview
with Showtime Celebrity, he speaks on why he is a cross-over actor, his
kind of women and his career that is seeing the both world of English
and Yoruba films.
I started acting professionally in 2000. I started with English
movies but at a point, I thought of versatility and diversified into
acting in Yoruba films since I never had any problem speaking the
language.
I wanted a challenge and I saw Yoruba films as a challenge. As a
non-Yoruba who decided to act in Yoruba films and still be prominent.
Basically, I didn’t go on my own, it was Femi Ogedengbe who introduced
me to take part in a movie by Saheed Balogun. The film was Omo Alhaja,
and what I got was a bit part, a kind of one-scene shot. My next movie
was Ogidan by Kolade Afolabi. There I got a supporting lead role, first
time I got a lead role in a Yoruba movie and that’s how it all started.
Pitching my tent with the Yoruba movie sector
Like I said earlier, I love challenges and it is not true that I have
left English movies, I haven’t. Last year, I shot three English movies
but they were project movies. I guess I am getting used to doing
project movies in English now.
I shot a movie for a producer that came from America, A father and a Jewel, it also starred Segun Arinze, Gloria Young, Funsho Adeolu and the rest of them. Another was City of Gangs produced
by Nonso Diobi, a project film too. The film is due to hit the cinemas
very soon. Right now, I am a cross-over actor and it’s paying off well
for me.
Making more money from Yoruba than English movies!
No. The thing I am trying to say is that people have been able to see
that through Yoruba films, Kelvin Ikeduba is able to diversify and
take up more challenging roles. In English flicks, Kelvin Ikeduba is
known only as a bad boy or action figure. But in Yoruba sector now, they
know me also as a bad boy.
Comparing Yoruba movies with English counterpart
I don’t want to segregate, the thing is this: both sides are under
Nollywood and if I am going to talk in terms of that, I am going to talk
in terms of Nollywood. Nollywood, like every film industry has its ups
and downs. Some years ago Nollywood
was a baby and a baby before walking must learn how to crawl, how to
stand before learning how to walk. Story-wise, technically, Nollywood
was a baby but right now it is standing, but more technically than
story-wise. To tell you the truth, most of the stories are recycled
people just change characters. I wouldn’t say it is because we lack
scriptwriters, we have wonderful scriptwriters in Nigeria but basically
most of the producers are myopic, they don’t want to pay for good
writers to write stories that ‘s why they keep recycling stories.
Principles guiding my acceptance of movie roles
What attracts me to a story is to act. I love acting and I tell you
if I stay for two weeks without acting, I feel like something is wrong
with me. The passion comes from my heart. What really attracts me to a
story is when the story itself is very unique before I now look at the
character and later the money. For me, the story must be very good and
the character must be challenging.
Coping with female fans
I am a very appreciative person. If you appreciate what I am doing I
will appreciate you back, for real, without anything at the back of my
mind. When it comes to the issue of women, I, Kelvin Ikeduba, have never
seen myself as a lady’s man. I am just a guy, I don’t carry anything on
my mind
Not being a lady’s man!
No! I do like women. See, the thing is this, if a lady likes me it does not mean I have to feel on top of the world.
What am I implying!
What I was saying is that I was brought up well, from a Christian
home. Forget the ‘ruggedity’ I am known for. After being trained well, I
retrained myself. Most times, I don’t like mistaking white for yellow
or blue.
Relationship
I am in a relationship. Even me, I am confused and I am asking
myself: are you in a relationship? But I want to believe I am in a
relationship so when people ask me I can say I am in a relationship.
I am now! But the relationship does not look like a relationship.
Sincerely, I want to believe there is a woman in my life but this woman
does not know she is the woman in my life. See, the truth is this: I am a
very careful person and from one or two of my friends that are married I
have learnt a lot of things about women. I don’t like giving women
assurances and it turns out at the end of the day she is not the woman
God has destined for me. You understand. When the time is right I will
invite you guys.
Picture of an ideal woman
My ideal woman must be God-fearing, beautiful inside not necessarily
outwardly though I like women who are attractive. The most important
thing is she must be a mother.
Have sex on set
And they will still pay me my fee. And the girl fine? I will do it (laughing)
Movie that launched the brand ‘Kelvin Ikeduba’
If I have to start with English I will say it is “Went to the Top”,
the movie that won the Best Upcoming Actor where I played the role of
personal assistant to a movie director. Another one in the English
genre is War Game, a campus film that was very bloody and Yoruba,
definitely Ogidan and Ibosi Oru.
Vanguard Nigeria
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