Despite being the busiest actress in
Nollywood,plus-sized actress, Chioma Toplis
has continued to be an item in the industry.
Since 2004 when she had her break in
Nollywood, the busty role interpreter is not
resting on her oars. Based in the United
Kingdom, the fair- complexion actress who
combines acting with her business of selling
and buying has featured in many flicks such as
Iraq and Iran, Zara, Sincerity, Deadly Friend,
Proof of Life, Mad Ghost, among many others.
Married to a Briton, the controversial sexy
actress in this interview, addresses some of
the issues bothering on career, controversies,
marital life and dress sense.
What has been happening to you recently?
I am fine. I have not been regular in Nigeria
this year. I had been on holiday with my
children abroad. I need to put certain things in
place before returning to the country.
When was the last time you visited Nigeria ?
I left the country in November last year. I am
not a noise maker. Nobody hears about me
whenever I’m around. I’m not really a party
goer. I am always on my own doing my thing.
In fact, I’m more involved in my business than
going on movie sets. It’s only when I am free
that I consider hitting teh set.
Have you been shooting movies in the UK ?
No, I don’t go for auditions in the UK. While
in the UK, I get more involved in my boutique
business. I don’t have a shop but I run my
business from my house.
With your business, do you still find time to
pursue your acting career?
Of course, I still go on location. You know, in
Nollywood, you work with producers that are
your people. I don’t go about canvassing for
jobs. If you need me, you know how to reach
me. I’d go for jobs that I’m invited to be part
of the cast. It’s not every movie that I would
want to feature in. No, Iam selective.
Is it deliberate or that your business does not
give you the chance to focus on acting?
It is partly because of my business and my
family. I really want to be focused but at the
same time, I have to engage myself in other
things that would food on my table. Scripts
don’t come my way most often. But I have to
do other things that are profitable to me.
Sometimes, I might be busy with my business
when script will suddenly come my way and I
might not be chanced to grab it at that
moment.
You run a boutique in Lekki. Do you supply
Nollywood with costume or props?
I don’t, but I have been providing my own
costuming ever since I joined Nollywood. It is
only when I’m required to wear traditional
outfit that they producers provide costumes
for me. In spite of this, I don’t costume
other stars. My boutique is located in Lekki,
and I sell wholesale. That’s why I don’t have
too many people as customers even in
Nollywood.
What role did you play in your last movie?
I have forgotten the title of the movie. But I
can remember I played the role of Mariam,
Apollo’s friend in that movie . When it was
released, people were calling to commend my
acting prowess. I don’t like feauring in movies
regularly. I believe in doing one quality job at
a time. And each time, I star in a movie,
people always recommend the work. I’m
looking forward to starring in a blockbluster
movie. To some people, I am an arrogant
person. But the truth is that I am not
arrogant. I still want to maintain my dignity.
What is your take on the state of the Actors
Guild of Nigeria ?
I am a member of the guild. But I’m not
interested in the politics of the guild because
I know that what is happening therein is not
peculiar to the guild alone. It happens in many
other organisations. But I will be happy if
there is peace in the industry. I am
particularly happy that for the first time a
woman is the piloting the affairs of the guild.
Perhaps, it means that one day, our leaders
will give a woman the opportunity to rule this
country. I don’t have anything against anybody
as a member of the guild.
As an actress, what role can you not play in
movies?
I don’t think there is any role I cannot play in
movies. However, due to our culture, I cannot
play certain roles. If I’m overseas, I can play
any role. They have a way of packaging their
movies even when you think there is lots of
nudity. They do it in a way that you are not
going to go nude. If I find myself in
Hollywood, I will interprete whatever role I’m
given to play. When people kiss in Hollywood,
it looks real. But in actuality, nothing serious
happened. In Nollywood and given the kind of
culture we have here, it’s a big issue. You will
be castigated and your family will disown you.
How do you combine your business with your
acting career?
That’s why I don’t have time on my won. It is
also why you don’t always see me out there. I
am not a noise maker. When people see me
they feel I’m just here for the fun of it.I do
other things here. I’m into interior decoration.
I have not done a national or international
job before now, but I have been doing a lot of
personal jobs. I have friends who invite me to
do one or two things for them.
What is your relationship with some of your
colleagues in the industry, particularly Oge
Okoye ?
I don’t want to talk about that now. When I
first came into the industry, I took everybody
that came close to me as friends but with the
passage of time, I realised that not everybody
that laugh with you are your friends. As a
result, I started choosing my friends and not
them choosing me. I chose the ones I feel I
can call my friends.
Could you share some of the ugly experiences
that made you to take such a drastic decision?
I’m not going to recount any story now. But it
is not about one person. It has to do with
people I called my friends and who were
around me then. My mind is an open book to
everybody. But I have learnt my lesson from
whatever happened between me and the
people I called my friends. I have also forgiven
everybody who has wronged me in one way or
the other. I have moved on with my life.
It wasn’t a pleasant experience I must tell
you. It has to do with back-biting, jealousy,
and stabbing one in the back. I experienced a
lot of things. But unfortunately, these people
who were criticising me were not my equal. I
am down-to-earth and may be, I appeared to
be older than them because I know when they
were born. You just put yourself in and flow.
At the same time, I can do anything I want to
do and be what I want to be without them.
None of them introduced me to anybody in the
industry. Everything I have done in the
industry today, I have done for myself.
Did their action somehow affected your
marital life?
No way
There was a rumour that your marital life was
affected negatively
My husband doesn’t have that kind of time.
Anybody that is bringing my family into any
controversy is just wasting his or her time. I
am just an easy going person and it has
nothing to do with my marriage.
You are saying your marriage was never
threatened?
It can never be.
Why do you dress the way you dress?
I wear what I feel comfortable in. In fact, I
dress according to the occasion. Presently, I
have cut down on the kind of clothes I wear
because of the fact that one is no longer a
child. I have decided to reduce it a bit
especially when I am in Nigeria. It is not that I
flaunt my cleavages a lot but it depends
mostly on the kind of clothes I’m putting on
at that moment.
I have reduced the way I wear mini-skirt. I just
want to be wearing clothes that suits my age. I
am going to be 40 sometime this year. Not that
you won’t see me in other wears like when I
am going clubbing but I have really cut down
on those wears. To my husband, it is not a big
deal. He even loves to see me in mini.
For sometimes, I have not made my coloured
hair. Anybody that wants to talk about my
dress sense, the person should go ahead and
do so. Some people misunderstood me, they
judge the book by its cover. Some people may
conclude she’s irresponsible. If I am
irresponsible, I won’t be in marriage of 18
years now. I wouldn’t have brought up my son
who is going to be 19 years soon.
I am so proud to say I have three children
whom I brought up single handedly . Over the
years, my husband doesn’t live with us. He is
always working outside the country. Now, he
doesn’t live with us. He used to live in Dubai
but now, he resides in Kuwait . When people
sit back and gossip someone, they should
remember that I have three grown up children
I brought up from the scratch. If people want
to judge me by how I dress or any other thing,
that’s their business.
What attracted you to your husband?
I met him here in Nigeria . One of my friends
who is married to a Norwegian man invited me
to a sent forth party. He was also at the event.
I was sitting at a corner when he sighted me
and immediately sent somebody to come and
ask me what I wanted to drink. I told him I
wanted to take a bottle of coke. I don’t take
alcohol. Later, I thanked him and he gave me
his complimentary card and that was it. He
told me he got attracted to me because of my
set of teeth. One thing led to another before
we knew what was happening, we got married
and later moved to the UK. He is an enigneer.
How do you cope without your husband most
of the time?
In the first 10 years of our marriage, we used
to live together and we were moving with him.
But when our children got permanent school
in the UK, I didn’t want to be moving them
anymore.
How do you cope with your male admirers?
If I am beautiful why won’t men come after
me? Even ugly ones, men still chase them.
When they come to me, I usually tell them
that I am married and nothing more. Naturally,
I know that most Nigerian men don’t like to
have anything to do with married women.
No comments:
Post a Comment