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Nollywood actor, producer and movie director, Emmani Prince Manuwa, in this interview by ADERONKE ADESANYA, gives insight into himself, the movie industry and the improvement of the Nigerian industry over the years. Excerpts:
Can you share some of your early life experiences?
I was born into a royal family, the Manuwa family. I obtained my JSSC at Itebu Manuwa comprehensive high school in 2001. I gained admission into Lagos State University in 2002 and dropped out in 2004, then gained admission into the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and graduated in 2010. I went into music in 2000; I did music for years before switching to acting in 2016.
What was the first movie you acted in?
My first movie role was in a movie entitled, Ninu Aye yi in 2018, I was the producer of the movie.
How long have you been acting?
Professionally, five years.
How and when did you discover your passion for acting?
I started acting in 2016. My friend, who is a movie director, had some issues and he came to stay with me for a while. He was the one that introduced me to acting in the year 2016. It was a freestyle for me, until I met Kunle Afod in 2018 to direct my first movie and he said to me, “You are a very good actor”, since then, acting has been part of me and. I am excited to get the ball rolling in my career as an actor.
What really prompted you to chart a career in acting?
Passion. The freedom to be so many people, to see the world through different lenses, while still being myself, the fact that I can convincingly tell a story and make you believe it, was my major attraction to acting.
What’s it like to work on set? Is it as glamorous as it seems from the outside?
Well, yes. It’s a lot of work though it’s fun to us that have passion for it, but sincerely it is stressful than what everyone is seeing.
How well do you memorise your lines?
It’s easy for me, I read and deliver my lines fine
How do you handle personal criticisms about your work?
If nobody talks about you, then you are nobody either. But I don’t take critics personal. Sure, it hurts sometimes, but this type of feedback can be turned into a positive one and it is an opportunity to show how professional you are and that you do in fact have the skills to excel in your role.
Asides acting, what else do you do behind the camera?
I am a movie coordinator.
What was the biggest obstacle you had to overcome in your career?
Visibility and competition; there are a lot to compete with in the industry if you want to move forward. Most people want to see the face they have seen before. They believe you can’t do it more than them. So, you need to put in additional work for people to see you are exceptional.
What was the most challenging role you’ve ever played?
I will say the most challenging role I have ever played was acting as a poor bike man in the movie Murewa.
You have featured in countless movies, which of them is most outstanding?
I have done a lot that is not out yet but to talk about the ones that are out, I will say Murewa is still the most outstanding movie so far.
Who is your favourite actor you wish to work with and who do you really want to work with that you haven’t?
Kunle Afolayan.
What aspect do you think the Nollywood industry needs to improve upon?
Well, I wish to tell you that Nollywood industry has improved because you can’t compare movies of last year to this year. If you want to compare by movies, I will say our producers are only cutting their coats according to their sizes, you can’t compare a project of low budget to the one of high budget, where enough money is being spent, and everyone is improving. They are only doing a movie production according to the capital they’re having. So, yes I can tell you the Nigerian movie industry is improving.
The Yoruba movie industry has grown in leaps and bounds in recent times. What do you think is responsible for this growth?
It’s very simple, everyone wants to grow, no one wants to do the same thing they did yesterday, people are going places and seeing things that are happening, going country to country and we see what they are doing, even those that are not going, have seen even on the screen what other countries are doing. Everyone is learning. We learn from each other and we make the knowledge useful.
What do you look out for in a script before you take on a role?
Before I take any role, I will read the script and make sure the story line is lovely and well-scripted.
How would you approach a scene when you don’t get along with your scene partner?
Acting is not personal, it’s a job that brings a lot of people together no matter your relationship with others, the number one rule in acting is “show must continue” no matter the circumstances. For the purpose of the job, we will get along and after it, its “to your tents oh Israel”
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What steps do you take to fully understand the importance of your character to a story?
Firstly, I’ll read through. As an actor, I need to fully understand everything I can about the character I am portraying. I take a great deal of time to read the script to understand the character’s background, motivation, how they relate to the other characters in the story and other items I can use to help me better understand who they are and how I should portray them. I also have long conversations with the director, writers, and other actors about this. Once I fully understand the character, I take time to express them, even while not on the set or in production.
Do moral, ethical, spiritual, or environmental considerations play a role in the roles or projects you take on?
Yes, they do play a big role in the projects I do.
Talent or training; which do you think is important to an actor?
I believe both are important, but I think it can be beneficial to spend more time focusing on training than raw talent because it’s a great way to improve and keep learning new techniques, which can open you to more projects. Talent is important but as it’s often said, “hard-work beats talent, if talent doesn’t work hard” so the winning formula will be natural talent 30 per cent and training 70 per cent, hard work 100 per cent.
How do you combine family life with your job as an actor?
Well, probably because it’s entirely different to me. My family is my first priority, other things come after, and so combining the two has never been a difficult issue.
Many of your fans describe you as ladies’ man. By ladies’ man, they seem to be talking about your looks. Or haven’t you been told by some female fans that you are handsome? How do you react to this?
Everybody admires me, so I am everybody’s man.
Can you tell us about your achievements so far in the industry this year?
Sincerely, I do not see myself like I have achieved anything right now because I still have a long way to go. It’s just the beginning.
Moving forward, what are your plans for the rest of the year and 2023?
Growth. Self development and talent appreciation. I’m still a work in progress.
What advice would you give to new or aspiring actors/actresses?
Stay focused, be yourself and don’t listen to side talks trying to discourage you.
Do you have any upcoming project we can look forward to?
Yes, I do. I have a project I am working on and it is going to be very big and loud.
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