Anita Joseph is a Nollywood star and hot entertainer with natural-endowed curves and shape that can spin the head of those around whenever she passes.
The movie industry is not her only world as she is also a business owner, singer and dancer.
She is the CEO of Hourglass Fashion World for figure enhancement products just she is a dancer and singer, operating under the stage name ‘Nita J’.
I found myself being very dramatic because back then in primary and secondary schools, I used to act drama. In fact, in the secondary school, I was directing and writing scripts. I loved acting, but didn’t know I was going to be an actor, I was not even interested in the movie industry, but I found myself acting as the day goes by, it was much later that I started developing interest in being an actor.
How did you rise to stardom?
I rose to stardom in 2016 after starring in some movies and it blew me up. Some of such movies are ‘Tears in my Eyes’, ‘Desperate Billionaire’ and Bandit Queen where I played a role of a widow in sub-lead. In Desperate Billionaire, I didn’t play so much, it was like four to five persons, but I played it with Rita Dominic, and other popular actresses which also brought me out. The movie, Tears in My Eye, I played alongside Ini Edo who is my friend, KOK, my senior brother, so the people that you are placed with also help to uplift an actor. Many film producers said my performance was exceptional and started giving me significant roles in movies. Then in ‘Bandit Queen’, I worked with Uche Jumbo, Oge Okoye, Mercy Johnson and Mama Gee’ and these were A-list actors.
How are you coping with the rise, and what are the opportunities and challenges being a celebrity has offered you?
Of course, being a celebrity has brought a lot of opportunities and challenges as well. If I say that being a celebrity has not brought me opportunity or challenges, I would be telling lies. There are things one does and people would say, you are an actor, there are also things one would want to do, but cannot actually do them. For instance, I love eating corn, I can stop by the road side, buy corn and pear and eat, but some people would say Ah! No, you are an actor, you cannot do this; which means you are not yourself anymore, rather a different person who has to be very careful, calculative and cannot be you again. Then, of course, movie and being a celebrity have brought a lot of open doors for me, endorsement, rise in my career, and also taken me to places.
What were your parents’ reaction in your chosen profession?
Well, in my career, my parents didn’t mind. In my house, we grew up to be expressive and my parents encouraged us to do whatever that we chose to do in life, but that we must do it well. My parents were jolly-good fellows, they didn’t mind my being an actor, my father already knew that I was dramatic from the onset; so, they loved and encouraged me when they saw it in me. We have other professions in my family like lawyers and doctors.
How has the society been treating you?
The society is treating me good, but sometimes it is not very easy. At every point, people expect you to smile even when you are not in that mood of smiling and laughing, but you just have to do it because there are people watching you as a celebrity. But I try as much as I can to meet up with everybody, especially when I meet with my fans who would want to hug and talk to me, I give them the needed attention and chance, but it is not easy though because one might not be in the mood, but when they see you as a movie star, they would come around to exchange pleasantries and one must have to be in the mood for them. It is not easy, but we move.
What advice would you give to young ones who are building their career?
My first advice is that they should trust, communicate and get direction from God. Everything I do, I commit it into God’s hand and it works for me. When I was going into the movie industry, I said a prayer to God because I heard the place is a toasting ground. I said “God please when they see me, let them see Jesus. When they see me, let them not see my curvy waist, let them not see that I am a beautiful woman because, in my industry if you do not have a god-father, one is in soup. I said, God you are the best god-father that I can ever have, please help me. I communicated with God like I am seeing him now. It was a strong prayer point, God let them not see that I am a fine woman because I was even prettier and hotter everywhere then. I know, I am good in what I do, so I prayed God to let them see my craft instead of my body. Let my work speak for me. Again, I would counsel the younger ones in the industry to work on themselves and focus on God for the fact that some unprofessional directors are interested in what they get on the table. Sometimes, someone can bring a car and they offer her a role. Professionalism in the industry seems to be taking the back seat because of what people get immediately. There are people whose works are no longer speaking for them anymore, but what they can give makes way for them. To the young ones, therefore, let your work speak for you because some flashy things would fade away with time, and at the end of the day, you just act once and there is nothing for you again because you are not good again. If one rents a car for them at N100,000, it means they would not spend their own money, but would exchange that role for the money that was brought. So, let them work on themselves, focus on God as the industry is not easy. Again, let them know why they are there because it is their choice to make. If one wants to be stupid in Nollywood, the market of Nollywood would let you, but if you have come to work and learn, one would also get that. Once more, let them not also focus on money immediately. They should also focus on their craft because some think that is where men would see them easily. And this makes a lot of them to do nonsense, some come into the movie industry with all ready for them.
How was growing up?
Growing up was very fun because I have five big sisters who taught me everything I needed to know as a woman. They counted periods with me, disciplined me because I don’t listen.
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