Linda Obasi, Why Is She Here?
By Lotanna Adebisi
Who In the Nigerian Film Industry Has Inspired You?
Mama G. I worked with Patience Ozokwor on a film called Overseas about the fading osu castse system. Her encouragement and wisdom were priceless to me as a producer starting out.
As an
actor, her focus blew me away. She often took little seated cat naps whenever
she wasn’t on camera. When needed, whether it had been a three-minute nap or
one of fifteen minutes, she would snap into the moment like a light switch.
Rest, then focus. Rest. Focus. Rest. Repeat. I learned that from Mama G.
Genevieve Nnaji has got “it”, that effortless unteachable presence that people often
describe as the camera loving someone. The camera loves her and she comes
across as believable on screen.
Sola Sobowale straight-up goosebumps. Her electricity comes through the screen and
raises the hairs on the back of your neck. Some of her performances left me
wondering if she would survive, if she had anything left to act again, but she
does. Talk about giving it your all, emptying oneself for the audience.
There
are so many brilliant actors in Nicinema but these actors really inspire me.
What Projects Are You Currently Working On?
Guyman is in pre-production. It’s a feature comedy about a returnee who gets scammed by a yahoo boy. That’s not really a funny topic, but Guyman presents it from a unique angle.
The Fufu-Diet is in post-production. It’s a docuseries about nutrition
and wellness in Nigeria. I hosted the interviews with doctors, nutritionists,
trainers, farmers, herbalists, massage therapists, chefs, spa owners, and more.
A few
other projects are on the backburner. I am fortunate to have work. This makes
sacrificing reliable income for this unpredictable field more rewarding.
What Advice Would You Give to Beginning Actors?
Know why you want to act.
It’s
okay to do free work when starting out and on occasion, but don’t make a habit
of it. Even if pay is a small token of thanks, acting is a profession and you
should be compensated for your time and work.
Study.
Train. Learn your craft. Relying on raw talent alone limits the types of roles
you can play.
Be
careful with the amounts of makeup and photoshop because when you walk into an
audition, you need to look like your photos.
What do you do to maintain and care for your instrument?
Well, I
slip sometimes, but I generally stay active. I’ve always had gym memberships,
even if some months, the fees paid have been wasted, I always come back. I’m
currently training with a personal fitness instructor at Elite Hybrid in Abuja.
I’m not
much of an outdoor jogger, especially not in this desert heat, so I make do
with indoor equipment. It’s important to do the moves correctly to avoid injury.
Stretching is vital, after warmup and at the end of the workout. As actors, we
can’t afford to have any pulled or strained muscles while working.
Yoga has
become a lifelong part of caring for my instrument. I was introduced to it at
the conservatory and it has stayed with me. I swim. I love the water, in a
pool. The ocean terrifies me when there is no land in sight.
Muscle
boredom will set in so I try new activities whenever possible; Flamenco,
Capoeira, Wing Chun, Pilates, ballet, and so on. I even took a pole dancing
class, just once. That was, interesting. We always need to be moving; flexible
yet strong. We are actually athletes, in a way.
Besides
movement, there’s food. I’ve got a sweet tooth, so I have to be conscious of that.
I try as much as possible to get leafy greens and whole grains into this body.
If a couple of chocolate martinis happen, I pay for it the next day, detox, and
keep it moving.
What we eat affects not just our bodies, but also our minds, our moods, and our spirits. I don’t always exercise all the knowledge I’ve amassed producing The Fufu-Diet, but every day is a brand new beginning, a chance to start again.
Why did you come to Nigeria to act?
A better
question would be, why did my family leave Nigeria. I yearned for stories about
home. Though the word home has become so subjective, I wanted to be a part of
stories set in the place I came from.
There is
a misconception that my American accent is an asset here. Maybe whenever anyone
is casting a news anchor or a clueless returnee, I get recommended, and I’m
grateful for any work; but it’s been challenging getting roles as a regular woman
facing everyday struggles here in Nigeria, in spite of training in IPA and dialects. Give me a
script for a week and I’ll transcribe and memorize it in any accent or language
that exists. But Nollywood moves at lightning speed and it’s a rare project
that allows much time for character development.
Based on
my voice, people assume that I just arrived yesterday with a bag of dollars, no
matter how long I’ve been here. For this reason,, I am charged quadruple the
regular price for any product or service from shampoo to carpentry. The only
time I pay the price everyone else pays is when it is clearly labeled. Haggling
is futile.
While I
do hear occasional compliments on my intonation or phonetics, mostly from men,
the general reaction to my voice has been suspicion, competition, envy, and
thinly veiled hatred, mostly from women. Yeah, I said it. Daring to share any
of my years of experience as an actor is often perceived as condescending,
regardless of how politely the information is passed. “Who is she to come and
be teaching us? Why is she even here?”
Nigeria’s
entertainment industry is a force to be reckoned with, especially the music
sector. There is an explosion of innovative masterpieces from the very place
where I was born. There is room for the work of new independent artists to be
seen and the demand for foreign content on Netflix and other international platforms
seems to be endless.
This is
why I’m here.
Website: https://lindaobasi.nyc/
IG: @lindaobasi
FB: Linda Obasi
TW: @LindaObasi3
Keywords: Linda Obasi, Nicinema, Nollywood, actor,
Nigeria, African film, drama, Mama G, Genevieve Nnaji, Sola Sobowale, The Fufu
Diet, Guyman, Elite Hybrid, yahoo boys
