Funke Akindele Helped Viewers See Me In A Different Light – Nosa Rex

Nollywood actor Nosa Rex has said that working with Funke Akindele helped viewers see him in a different light. He recently had his say during an interview with GBENGA BADA, and fans have been reacting.

Revealing that Funke had wanted him on “Jenifa’s Diary” since its 1st season, Nosa stated that featuring in the 7th season gave him the opportunity to portray a calm and responsible character.

The filmmaker added that he travelled all the way from Asaba to Lagos State to shoot the series.

His words, “While I was in Asaba, shooting movies in the East, I had always been friends with Funke Akindele because she regularly came to the East to shoot. So I knew Funke even before Jenifa’s Diary. As a matter of fact, I was working on a movie with her one day in Awka. A writer came to visit us on set. I think his name was Martin, if I’m not mistaken, but I stand to be corrected.

While we were shooting, I noticed that whenever there was a break, he and Funke would sit together and write something. I asked her what she was doing, and she told me she was writing a series called Jenifa’s Diary. That was how I found out about it. When she returned to Lagos and started shooting the series, she would call me and say, “I have a role for you.” But I was always busy shooting in the East.

She called me during the first and second seasons, and again during the third season. I think I eventually joined around the seventh season. By then, Jenifa’s Diary had become very popular and was attracting a lot of attention. I knew I needed to establish myself in Lagos as well.

I wanted to do something different and give people the opportunity to see me in another light. If you noticed, the character I played in Jenifa’s Diary was a calm, responsible husband.

At the time, Africa Magic had different kinds of productions, including epic and urban movies. If about 80 per cent of the movies I featured in were epic films, I needed something different. I have always wanted to be everywhere. I wanted people to see my work across different platforms without saying I was too associated with one type of movie.

For me, Jenifa’s Diary was a blessing because it gave me the opportunity to introduce myself to the Lagos audience in a different way. I was travelling all the way from Asaba to Lagos to shoot the series.

Shout-out to Funke Akindele. She really helped me because some people might have decided not to work with me simply because I was far away. Whenever I was given a call time of 8 or 9 a.m., Funke might assume I was already in Lagos.

Meanwhile, I would leave Asaba at about 4 a.m. and arrive at the location in Lagos around 8 a.m. I would have breakfast with everyone on set, and she would ask, “Are you still in Lagos?” I would say yes, even though I had only arrived that morning. I needed to make the commitment. That was the sacrifice I made.

One experience I will never forget was when I came to Lagos to shoot Jenifa’s Diary. After filming, I was already on my way back to Asaba when they called to tell me there had been an error with what we had shot. I had to turn around, return to Lagos, shoot again and then travel back to Asaba. That was how my journey with Jenifa’s Diary began. I knew Funke before the series, and when she called me to join the production, I was happy to do it.

I remember the days when Asaba movies were released on DVD and how busy everyone was. Actors were making a lot of money at the time. I remember coming to spend a week in Asaba because I wanted to understand what was happening in the industry. Now, almost everybody is on YouTube.”