Temitope Tedela entered African cinema history on March 8 when he emerged Best Actor in a Drama at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Award (2014) grand finale held in Lagos. The young actor who played a repentant secret cult member in the movie ‘A Mile from Home’ speaks with Executive Editor, OLUMIDE IYANDA, and Woman Editor, TEMITOPE DAVID-ADEGBOYE, during a recent visit to TheNiche head office…
Has winning the AMVCA best actor award increased job offers for you now?
I get offers for a lot more work now. However, it depends on if I want to do the job. One could get offers, but with all due respect, if I think the work is something that will portray me like I don’t want to be portrayed, I won’t take it up. But in terms of volume of work, there is definitely an increase.
Actors often get stereotyped in Nigeria. Have you already become stereotyped because of the role you played in ‘A mile from Home’?
It is all about choice. Maybe, it is because I am still quite young. But I don’t think I should jump at whatever comes my way. Not everything that is good is meant for you. That is part of my philosophy. I am trying to look at the roles I have portrayed in the last two years and I think they are quite different from each other. I have portrayed a gangster, an engineer and others. I think I have been quite fortunate.
Not many people knew you before now. How did acting begin for you?
My earliest memory of acting was when I was in Primary Five; some of my colleagues and I wanted to do a play just for fun. I was playing the role of a king. I went to my dad and told him I needed a crown for my role. I thought he was going to just buy it for me; instead, he took me to my teacher in school. It was not even organised by the school; it was just a set of happy children. That was my early memory of wanting to be an actor.
Back then, I used to watch western movies with my father. I also read books, and, while reading, I used to wonder how they did all they did and imagined how it would come out. Along the line, I went into secondary school and I had to do sciences. I couldn’t tell my parents I wanted to become an actor. I told them I wanted to be an aeronautic engineer, an accountant and some other profession. But eventually I came back to acting.
I was still in school in 2005 when I went for my first audition and I got a major role in a series in which I played Julian. Then I did Super Story and another film. But my education was suffering. So I had to stop acting till I finished school. Then I started working in an office. But it just was not working for me. So in 2011, I resigned and took up acting.
What did you study?
Mass Communication.
Have you convinced your parents this is what you want now?
At some point, all they wanted was for me to get a degree. They don’t have a problem with my acting now. Well maybe the only issue they may have now is if I am making a lot of millions doing it.
Are you making millions?
Eventually, I will make a lot of millions.
Do you have people you look up to in the industry?
Yes, someone like Joke Silva. One has to admire and appreciate her longevity and how significant she has remained over the year. I really respect her. Another person is OC Ukeje. I like his work and how he has been able to manage himself. On the international scene, I love Denzel Washington. He is amazing. He keeps his career, family and everything about him together.
What is that script that you will not take now that you are an award-winner?
A lot of times, actors are tagged as cheap and scrappy. But I think the script is the starting point. The script has to be good to me. A couple of people take up roles because they have no choice. But then, again, some scripts are really bad that even if you are a good actor, it will portray you as a very bad actor. So I won’t go for such.
Who would you not act with?
No name comes to mind. Even if you have personal issues with anybody, I don’t think it should affect the work you do. If I am meant to be in love with anybody and she doesn’t like me, I think we should be able to put aside out differences as professionals and just do the job. Personally, I think I am a level-headed person; so I don’t think there can be such on my part.
When the AMVCA nominations were released, how did you feel when you discovered the people you were in competition with?
I was surprised that I even got nominated. It is still unbelievable, but I am grateful to God. In my mind, I was just grateful I had the nomination; at least I would not have to quit acting. At that time, I was shooting a film and I felt that after that job, I would go back to, maybe, writing or journalism.
Are you scared other young actors are coming up too?
No. I don’t think anyone is struggling for another person’s space. Everybody can shine. Denzel Washington has his style, Brad Pitt also has his style, and George Clooney is doing his own thing. Back home, Jim Iyke had his own corner, Desmond Elliot also has his style. I think there is room for people to express themselves without being a pain in another person’s neck.
Do you think you are not a pain in anybody’s neck?
I don’t think I am. I do not think any director I’ve worked with will actually say I’m a pain in his neck. I take my job seriously, both in terms of comportment and acting. I try to be at my best at all times.
Were you dreaming of an AMVCA and Africa Movie Academy Award (AMAA) best actor double?
Not exactly. I have maintained that the recognition by way of nomination has really been a huge source of encouragement. I am indeed grateful for where I am and I’m happy for the amazing actor who clinched the award at AMAA.
Were you disappointed with Nigeria’s showing at AMAA?
I won’t say I’m not disappointed; but it is high time we all got our acts together and really began to pay attention to detail, as the late Amaka Igwe used to say. It’s time we began to think in terms of quality across board, so that we don’t become a laughing stock to Africa and the rest of the world.