Ever since Nigeria's movie industry came into existence some 15years ago, few actors and actresses can boast of instant fame like Kate Henshaw-Nuttall did when she starred as Omono in one of the pioneering Nollywood flicks –When the Sun Sets.
The story line was interesting and also pathetic; the production was great, while the cast included known names like Bob Manuel.
Kate, who stumbled into the audition for the role, put up such a wonderful performance that many still do not believe it was her debut.
She confessed she couldn't manage the fame: “It was hectic and very serious; the funny thing was that I didn't know it was me they were calling most times because they kept referring to me as Omono. I just couldn't handle it at first, but with time, I began to take control.”
Since then, the movie star has appeared in so many movies, soaps and plays, the most recent being Eve Ensler's award winning play, Vagina Monologues.
Being among those that pioneered Nollywood, the mother of one, does not believe the industry had attained the height it ought to, despite being rated 3rd in the world. To her, “We have barely scratched the surface.”
“The quality of our films has improved but we need to improve on our story lines; there seems to be too much of love stories. We have so many histories in Nigeria that we can dwell on. A film has been shot in Calabar, what about Lagos, about Queen Amina, Moremi, our forefathers and so on? Those kinds of stories and folklores we heard while growing up. We need to explore our culture and heritage and bring them to light. Enough of being too westernised,” she advised.
From her observation, Nollywood was on the right track until the lust for money overtook the intentions of stakeholders in the industry, creating room for mediocrity.
The actress, who has proved her singing ability, complained that producers now rely solely on the ability of the actors and actresses to deliver their roles unlike in the past, when there was enough time for rehearsals and even a cast party.
“These days, there are no time for rehearsals or time for you to read your lines and research on your character, so as to, if possible, discuss with your director on your opinions about the character. It's the sudden lust for money, rather than the art, that brought in much of these irregularities. Everybody just believes in doing the next film; quality became secondary. That was when we got it wrong,” she complained.
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