Nuella1Nuella Njubigbo, fondly known as Ella, is an actress and a script writer.  Alluring Ella is an indegene of Anambra state and a graduate of government and public administration from the Imo State University. Nuella Photo Gallery

She has done about 30 movies in her about five years of acting.  Some of her hit movies include Life’s incidence, Lord of marriage, evil project and Heart of a slave.  In this interview with  Funmi Salome-Johnson, Nuella speaks on her career, experience in South Africa and what fans should expect from her this year. Excerpts:
How  was your trip to South Africa?
Oh so you know I went to South Africa?
Well nothing is hidden under the sun.
It was fine thank you.

So what was the experience like over there for you?
Nothing really much, it was a short trip,it was not a professional trip, I only went there for a wedding and that was all.

So how would you compare South Africa with Nigeria from what you saw over there?
I would really not like to compare  because there is no room for comparison at all.  South Africa is South Africa and Nigeria is Nigeria.

What are those things that you found there  that you feel we can imbibe or inject into our system to make it better?
South Africa is a beautiful place , I just don’t know where to start but I know we really have a lot of work to do here, I don’t want to compare because if I start I will not stop and If I start, you will have to stop me by force.

What is the latest from your end movie-wise?
I have been working and working and recording. I have a lot of movies that are yet to be released, so many of them.  I have about 17 movies that have not entered the market.
What kind of movies are they, are they romantic roles or what are we to expect from those movies?
They are all major roles and a mixture of roles.

How has the acting business been of recent at your end these days, have the jobs been coming or has it been dull?
Yes the jobs have been coming and I thank God and I am still looking forward for more. God has really been good to me, I must say and my profession has done me well too.

What does this new year hold from your stables, did you make any resolution for this new year?
Funny enough, I always make new year resolution and the third month into the new year, I tend to have forgotten the resolution I make at the first day of the year, so I just want to be a better person this year.  I want to do better things and the things I could not do well last year, I want to do them better this year.  I have a lot of plans for this year, I have a lot of things in stock for my fans and a lot of packages for them.  They should just wait, they have not even seen anything near the real stuff I am made of, but I promise them something really good this year.

Getting into fame is easier than staying in stardom, how do you handle scandalous publications written or said about you?
People must always talk and tongues must wag so I just deal with each day as it comes.  I have not really had much of a negative scandal but the little I have had I just laughed and was like, where is this coming from?  I might be on my own and somebody just call me up and ask me, have you seen this journal, this is what they said about you and all that.  When I see it, I just laugh although, sometimes it may get annoying but what could I do, or say? I just overlook it and move on with life as long as I know that those things said about me are not true.{div width:200|height:400|float:left}{module Latest News|table}{/div}

What is your mother’s position on your choice of career, was she supportive?
My mother is my mentor, she is my backbone.  Without my mother, there will be no me; I am not talking about me physically bt I am talking about the Ella you know.  Without my mother, there will not be an Ella.  She was there for me, she stood by me, she has just been so wonderful to me’  she gave me all the support that I need and she always made me believe in myself.  She has been more than a mother.  Even when I started this job, she never said no; she just gave me advice on how to do things and always reminding me of where I am coming from and that I should not lose focus or go out of good moral training in the name of a career.

What about your dad?
Initially, my father was not finding the decision of her only daughter being an actress funny but when my first, two, three, four, movies came out and  a lot of people were calling him that Ii saw your daughter, I saw your daughter in a movie  and those calls were coming from different parts of the world, then he sort of started enjoying it.  But at times, when he sees someone on screen dressed half nude or exposing too much, he will come out and say come here, ‘you see this, I don’t want to see you this type of dress, the day I see you dress like this, you will just have to stop’ I will just laugh. But now, he is enjoying the whole thing, everybody is happy with what I do.

How about your siblings, learnt one of them is into music?
Yes my younger brother is into music.  His stage name is Suprano, his album will be out very soon, it is going to be a hit.

So how has that impacted on you and your career?
My brother actually started doing this before I even went into the movie industry.  He has been there all along although at a time, we had to stop him because of school so that he can get to a certain extent in school before he could come out but he is doing fine now.  For me, nothing yet, I give him all the support I could and I know that he is going to get there someday soon because if you listen to his song you will understand why I am saying this, it is just a matter of time.

Most of your colleagues are diversifying into other aspects of the arts, especially music, are you also thinking of towing that line , especially since your brother is into music?
Although I know that I have a very good voice but I think I will leave the music aspect for my brother and I will do my job of acting and script writing.  Besides, there are lots of things I can still do.

Like what and what?
You don’t worry about that for now, when I am ready, I will let you know.

How many scripts have you written so far that have been produced?
I have written nothing less than twenty scripts that have been produced and in the market.  Among them is Lord of marriage, Excess money, Inspired and a host of them like that.

What inspires the kind of stories you write?
Everything inspires me.  My mood, where I am, who I see, everything inspires me, everything. My experience, people’s experiences, everything inspires me into writing.  I also get inspired when I watch a good movie and I add my part to it.

Of all the roles you have played, have you found one particularly challenging?
Every, movie I have done is challenging one way or the other.  I do things I have not done in several movies, I am a diversified actress, call it being versatile if you like. I have played several roles, I have been here and there, I have had to shoot guns, I have had to be a wayward girl, I have had to be a good girl, I have played various roles.  All the jobs I have done has been quite challenging.  When I started out, there was this job I did, ‘Lord of marriage’  they needed a young girl and I was very young in the industry and I had to play that role and it was a lead role, so I was scared because, then nobody knew me. I was so afraid because it was my first lead role, so I had to work extra hard but at the end of it, God sailed me through.  It was that film that actually launched me into the lime.

Looking back over 2009, how would you describe the year movie wise, did it move on at all or it was just on a spot?
I think it moved on, we do good stories now.

With all the crisis?
Yes the crisis are there and because of the crisis, people are trying to do whatever they are doing well and better.  So I think the crisis actually helped the producers and directors better.  Well may be I am talking for myself, but each time I want to write a story, I do a lot of research and thinking because I always want the movie to do well, so I put in my all to achieve that.

When will the wedding bells ring?
I am going to get married at the right time whenever God says I should.  But for now, I love my job and I want to be the best I can be.

Are you searching?
I am not searching but it does not mean when the right man comes along, I will not give it a thought.  But right now, I am not searching. When the wedding bells ring, I will let you know.

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