Ejike Okoye: Thriving in the World of Film and Business 

For US-based seasoned Nollywood actor, Ejike Okoye, storytelling and making a positive impact on society remain the driving factor for his desire to become an actor. In this interview with MARY NNAH, the actor, who also doubles as a businessman, shared how he has successfully balanced his passion for his first love-acting and his venture into car importation and general merchandise

What new project are you working on presently?

I’m currently working on two new projects: “Shadow of America” and “Chinelo”. Both stories are great and life-touching. “Shadows of America” is another Nollywood USA diaspora blockbuster advocacy film aimed at fighting the serious menace of abuse/violence against immigrant women. It is a true-life story, well-acted and directed by the best of Nollywood USA cast and crew. It is a must-watch for everyone. 

We stopped working on Shadows of America due to the coronavirus pandemic but we are back on it now. You would see yourself in both movies because they depict our everyday life in the United States and Nigeria. They are movies that have never been made. 

They were shot with one of the best super quality equipment in Nollywood today.  They are highly intriguing and a must-watch. I want to thank the Newyork Film Academy director, Obed Joe, for allowing me to be part of these fantastic movies. I also want to thank the other cast and crews for a job well done.

Aside from acting, what else do for a living?

I import motor vehicles and general merchandise. I thank the CEO of C TO C customs bonded terminal in Emene, Enugu for being there for me. It is a very reliable and trusted terminal. They were very supportive of my business. I ship a container load of vehicles and goods through their terminal and they always make sure that I am satisfied without cutting corners in clearing my merchandise. 

I am business inclined by nature. I have had the opportunity to climb different mountains with different views at a time. I started climbing the same mountain over and over thinking the view would change. There was a time in my life I was not in a great place mentally so I decided to go back to climbing different mountains and grow for a better Ejike Okoye. 

That has helped me a lot. Every day is a work in progress. I am yet to get to where I want to be but I give God the whole glory for the journey thus far.

When did you decide that you wanted to become an actor?

It came naturally. Storytelling and making a positive impact on society remain the driving factor for my desire to become an actor. When I was younger I admired legends like Arnold Schwarzeneger, Sylvester Stallone, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Dolph Lundgreen among others, and always thought about being like them someday. 

My physical appearance and my style of dressing made me stand out among my peers whenever I attended auditions and it helped to secure roles that have to do with action and stunts. Acting those small hitman roles in movies effectively turned people, especially my peers into a captive audience. 

My love for storytelling turned into a passion for acting. I have taken a few turns since then but the heart of what I do and what fuels me every day is showcasing true-life stories. A lot of inspiration came from watching action movies as a little kid. I wanted to be like those actors I watched in movies in the early 1990s.

How was it when you started?

It was a bit challenging but one thing about me is whenever I decide to do something I give it all I have without looking back. If you are offered a seat on a rocket ship, don’t ask what seat, just get on. 

When I first started, the pay was not good as I envisaged. It’s what we referred to as peanuts but that did not discourage me because I had a goal. I focused on doing the best I can, sharpening skill sets, building relationships, and positively impacting the industry and fans. I added value outside of my roles like extraordinary stunts to my roles which helped me to negotiate my future in the industry. I was driven by impact, not money in other words, fame before money.

Growing up, I had dreamt of becoming an actor or a model, and today I can fortunately say that I am living that dream even as I work to develop a network in the industry.

What are some of the difficulties of the acting business?

We face a lot of difficulties that our government has turned a blind eye to. We lack good roads for easy navigation of shooting locations. An inadequate power supply such that we have to keep using generators on locations and the noise from generators affects our movie audio that the editor would work harder to clear up the background noises. 

The most difficult part is the insecurity that has plagued our nation, particularly the southeast where we shot most of our movies. We can’t move freely from one location to another due to fear of being kidnapped, robbed, or even killed. 

Piracy is another beast that needs to be tackled because it kills the industry. Also, we need to find better ways to market our movies, especially across the world. 

We need government intervention in the industry. We can’t tackle all these issues on our own. All these and some other factors negatively affect movie production. Be as it may, every day I’m inspired to do my part to take the industry to the next level, particularly Nollywood U.S.A.

How would you rate Nollywood then and now?

Jerusalem was not built in one day. Nollywood progresses every day. Nollywood then was great to me in the sense that we were like families working together to achieve a common goal. There was decency, humbleness, respect, and love. 

We had great stories to showcase – stories that brought families together and enemies resolve their differences after watching Nollywood movies. Parents watched Nollywood movies with their children in their family room because there wasn’t that much nudity in our movies then. Families connect themselves to our stories because they were mainly based on true life events.

Nollywood of today is a lot different. There is too much disrespect, hate, opprobrium, disdain, scorn, ridicule, and mockery among artists. There is so much nudity that parents no longer watch our movies with their kids; too much disconnection between artists and crew members; disconnection in stories. 

I don’t see unity like it was in Nollywood then. Nollywood of today has improved tremendously in the area of movie production and quality. We use more advanced equipment now that our movies go a long way across the world. 

Now you can watch our movies on Netflix, Amazon, Xfinity cable, and other U.S cable networks and special effects are superb now. Most importantly Nollywood then organised seminars and workshops where artists were trained at no cost but in Nollywood today everything costs money.

How do you unwind?

This is another important aspect of life. We should take time off from work and business to rest and relax. Most importantly, spend quality time with family. I take vacations seven to eight times every year with my family. 

Some are long while some are weekend getaways. I also do other things to relax like working out, swimming, taking long walks, watching movies, and more.

What advice would you give young ones going into acting?

Be prepared to take your “scrappiness” to a new level – The entertainment industry is built on relationships and growth can sometimes be achieved based on referrals. Expect to hustle like you never have before. Prepare your mind to give your all every day and network with as many people as possible to grow your visibility within the industry.

Start with the end in mind – Your entertainment career is a marathon, not a sprint. Visualise what you want and create a list of goals and experiences you desire to have along your career path. Look at your list often to remind yourself why you want this and to stay motivated.

Be open and explore career paths – There are hundreds of jobs in the industry. Do your research and take the time to explore careers that interest you by shadowing professionals, conducting informational interviews, and reading industry trade magazines & blogs daily to stay informed. 

There are too many departments in the entertainment industry like location manager, production assistant, production manager, director of photography, makeup artist, and editor to name a few; so one can venture into one of those career paths as we don’t know what destiny has in stock for you.

Join professional organisations and resource groups – There are amazing organisations that exist for minorities in the entertainment business. By investing in a membership, you gain access to a community of professionals who are ready and willing to help you achieve success at every level of your career.