‘I can’t have tattoos on my body because I see my body as a Ferrari, Bentley’ – Actress says

7 years ago

‘I can’t have tattoos on my body because I see my body as a Ferrari, Bentley’ – Actress says

While some Nollywood stars have littered their bodies with all kinds of drawings and piercing, Mimi Orjiekwe, tells Ademola Olonilua about why she would not dare write on hers.

From being a beauty queen you became an actor, what influenced that decision?

When I contested for Miss African Queen, one of the judges was a movie director and when he saw me, he convinced me to audition for a role and do my best in it. Even before then, when I was in school, I was always involved in the dramatic club, so when I got the opportunity to audition for a movie, I embraced it. That was how it all started for me.

How was the transition from the runway to television screen?

They are all different forms of entertainment and I have a passion for entertainment. If you love entertainment, you would want to do anything in the field. They are all in the same category. I would say that the major difference between the two is that acting is more emotional, you have to express yourself while acting but when it comes to beauty pageantry, you just have to walk pass people but also try to impress them and not fall in the process.

Why did you decide to go into beauty pageantry?

Being a beautiful girl, a lot of modelling agency approached me to join their agency. A family friend of mine, Temidayo, convinced me to give it a shot. He told me that I could be a beauty queen and I would excel, so I picked the form, competed in a beauty pageant and I won. That was the beginning. After then, I was invited to be a part for an advertising campaign but it was never my turf or what I wanted to do in life.

Since it was fetching you money why didn’t you stick to it?

When I was growing up, I never really had a clear cut idea as to what career path I wanted to toe in life. As a matter of fact, I always wanted to be a lawyer but when modelling and acting came, I dropped that idea. You do not know what God has in stock for you. I was supposed to study Law but it did not work out. I had to study some acting courses and when I got the opportunity to become an actress, I embraced it and I love the limelight.

You won the pageant in 2009 but you have not changed much, how have you been able to maintain your physique?

It is hard to stay in shape because as you grow, you tend to eat more food and if you do not exercise regularly, it would be difficult to keep your shape. Whenever I see any girl who is in shape, I always give them kudos because it means they really worked hard. Sometimes I grow bigger and other times I am slimmer. But I work out a lot and I watch what I eat. However, I have come to realise that it is not about what you eat but the hormones in you. If you want to remain beautiful and keep fit, you have to work hard. One has to work out daily, watch what you eat, embark on regular diets, and maintain your physique.

Has your beauty ever worked against you?

It has opened a lot of doors for me but it can also make people upset. If some people think you are beautiful and feel you don’t have their time or refuse to do their bidding, they get upset. It has happened several times. It is one of the challenges of being beautiful. If you need a favour from a man, he would believe it is the right time to make advances at you.

How often do you get advances from men?

I don’t know how frequent it is but I know that I get advances from men a lot. As a woman, it doesn’t matter whether if you are beautiful or ugly; men would always want to talk to you, so it is up to you to learn how to handle it. You have to be genuinely nice to people because sometimes, they do not want to woo you, they only want to be friends. I handle advances from men as an adult and I am nice to everyone. But if you take it further than friendship, then I will tell you it is impossible.

How do you maintain your skin?

I do not like the sun and if I must walk under the sun, I use an umbrella.