Award-winning actress, scriptwriter, filmmaker, and entrepreneur, Nuella Njubigbo has built an impressive career spanning more than 90 Nollywood productions. In this interview with Segun Adebayo, she reflects on her creative journey, business ventures, personal values, and what continues to inspire her.
Your latest YouTube release has generated a lot of positive feedback. What sparked the idea behind the project?
First of all, I missed our old way of telling original and very relatable stories so much. Recently, we’ve been speaking too much English in our movies, so I said to myself, let me give people the nostalgic feeling they’ve been longing for. A story immediately came to my mind about two sisters. I called up the person who writes screenplays for me, told him the story, and we worked on it until we achieved a full script. Then it came to deciding who was best for the role of Adaobi. No better person came to my mind than Queen Nwokoye for that role. So, I called her and shared the script. Thankfully, she loved it, and the rest is history.
Many viewers enjoy the humour in your productions. What drives your approach to comedy storytelling?
I love to laugh, and I love seeing people happy and laughing. Besides, our country is very “sweet” right now, so I try to give my lovely viewers something that takes their minds off what’s happening around us for a few hours and lets them laugh. Of course, there must still be a strong plot and a good lesson to take away by the time you’re done watching the movie. I always make sure of that.
Looking back, how did your Nollywood journey begin, and what continues to fuel your passion for acting?
I was in my third year at university, Imo State University to be precise. I started as a writer and, after writing a few scripts, landed my first major role. The movie did so well when it came out, so I started getting a lot of calls from producers and marketers, and here we are today. What has kept me going is passion, an unquenchable passion. I feel like I still have a lot inside me to share with the world. I love being part of the reason people have fun, laugh, and are happy.
What usually determines whether you take on a particular role or project?
The storyline is always key for me. After that, I consider the pay and then the shooting location.
There is a perception that you now focus mainly on your own productions. How accurate is that?
That is not entirely true. I also work with other producers. It’s mostly about my schedule. Once I get a good script and I’m available, I’ll take it up.
You’ve successfully combined acting, producing, and entrepreneurship. How do you navigate both the creative and commercial sides of your career?
The goal is to be fulfilled, make money from your hard work, and live well. The Bible says, “A man’s gift makes way for him.” So, while I love what I do, which is telling stories through acting, I also monetise it by producing and selling movies on different platforms. I also have other businesses. Juggling all of these isn’t easy, I must tell you, but I try to balance them with God’s help.
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You tend to keep a relatively low profile at industry gatherings. Is that a deliberate choice?
Really? I connect very well with my colleagues, and I attend some events, not all the ones I’m invited to.
Most times, it’s because of the timing or because I’m out of the country when those events take place.
How has public recognition influenced your personal relationships over the years?
No, fame has not changed me in any way.
Most of my friends are the girls from my secondary school and university days. I know I can’t keep up with everyone, but I try. My friends understand that I can be very busy, but they also know that once I clear my desk, I make up for any break in communication.
They are also very busy people in their respective fields, so we find a way to balance it. I love my family, and I love my circle of friends, so I wouldn’t let anything, not even fame, come between us.
Have there been moments when you turned down opportunities because they conflicted with your personal principles?
Well, acting is make-believe; it’s not real. You only act it out in a way that seems real to viewers. That’s not who you are; you’re simply telling a story.
The only roles I rejected, especially when I was coming up in the industry, were roles where my character had to be almost naked or involved in extremely steamy bedroom scenes. I avoided those roles.
It wasn’t easy saying ‘no’ at the time because producers would try to convince you that such roles would take you to the highest level of stardom. As much as I wanted that stardom, my home training wouldn’t allow me to accept such roles. Thankfully, we still got here.
When reviewing your work on screen, what aspects of your performance do you assess most critically?
I am my own worst critic. I critique my voice, my tone, and even my smile sometimes. I always look out for things I could do better because you never really graduate from acting. Creativity knows no bounds.
What is one sacrifice that success has required from you?
My privacy.
What exciting projects can your fans expect from you in the coming months?
Yes! I have new movies coming soon on my YouTube channel, Nuella Nolly Movies: Love and Loyalty and A Wife Like Mine.
What inspired the launch of Nuella Afrik, and what vision guides the brand?
For me, fashion is a means of self-expression. It’s a way of telling society and the people around you who you are.
You hear people say they don’t wear traditional fabrics because most of them look outdated, boring, or unfashionable. So, I decided to use these same fabrics to create very trendy styles that even our Gen Zs can wear and feel very good in. They can feel sexy, not irresponsible, though just trendy and stylish.
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