SENSATIONAL TV ACTRESS, CYNTHIA AMADI SPEAKS" WHY I LOVE TV MORE THAN MOVIES"

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN THE INDUSTRY?
I have been around the industry for quite a while now.I made my first appearance in the indusrty in1999, but left and returned in 2005.

SO,WHY DID YOU LEAVE THE INDUSTRY?
Distance really slowed me downthen, i was coming from from Delta State University, so itwasn't really easy for me at all. I was shuttling between my lectures, examinations and most times, my exams clashed with my career, it was not easyat all, i decidedtoleave the and face my academics then.

SINCE YOU RETURNED IN 2005,CAN YOU MENTION THE NUMBER OF MOVIES YOU HAVE ACTED IN?
Honestly I have lost count.I have done quite some jobs both in the movies and in soaps. If I start counting, I may leave out some.They are quite numerous.

TALKING ABOUT SOAPS,WHY ARE YOU SO ROOTED IN THEIR PRODUCTIONS?
I will not say that I made the choice or that I prefer being in the soaps.I actually came into the industry through the movies.I did quite a number of movies before I did my first soap.My first soap was Images produced by Fidelis Duker. And from there, I went over to Treasures with Chico Ejiro. I think i did well in those soaps because the scripts kept coming from soap producers. Recently, someone told me that I have turned to a Soap opera queen, but I don't bother about that because I see all of them as acting jobs. Whether it is in the movies or soaps, it is acting where you have to interpret a role.Although, I discovered recently that I have been doing a lot of soaps than movies, but I am not feeling bad at all .

HOW HAVE YOU MANAGED TO GET THE JOBS COMING YOUR WAY FROM SOAP PRODUCERS?
I study my characters very well. I take time out to really read my character and put myself into it. I do a little reserach where it is needed, and I go ahead and interpret it. Acting is not just what you learn, it is innate. It is either you have it or you don't have it in you. I am gifted in that department. Maybe thatis why I excel.

IN THE SOAP "BECAUSE YOU LOVED ME, YOUR CHARACTER GREW FROM ONE LEVEL TO ANOTHER, AND YOU DID IT QUITE WELL. HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO INTERPRET SUCH A ROLE AND EVENTUALLY COMMAND LOTS OF POPULARITY THROUGH IT TILL TODAY?
That particular series was a blessing to me, and God used the producer, Wale Adenuga to bless me. You might do alot of movies without getting recognized, but just one movie can push you out.Very early in the morning one day, I got call from Adenuga and I went for the audition where lots of artistes were tried out and I was told to come to the office the next morning. When I went there, i was given two large scripts to go through, I was to start recording the next day. From Wale Adenuga's office , I went back home, packed my things and moved straight to location.So, I just had to read the scripts all night, and study the character as fast as possible. It is a character that progresses from an undergraduate to a wooman in her mid thirties. It was just the grace of God, because i felt that he wanted me to do the role.

SO HOW DID YOU FACE THE CHALLENGES OF GETTING SUCH A HUGE SCRIPT ONE DAY AND STARTED RECORDING THE NEXT DAY?
I just had to do it, Meanwhile, you should know that this is Nollywood and not Hollywood, where you will have months to prepare for the character. In Nollywood, they might call you now and tell you about a character you might be playing in another two hours. We are accustomed to what we do here, because over time. There are challenges, be it mentally or emotionally.You have to task yourself and rise above the challenges.

COULD IT BE THAT THE KIND OF ROLES THAT COME FROM THE SOAP PRODUCERS ARE NOT COMING FROM THE MOVIE PRODUCERS?
There is something about soap opera and that is they have continuity, are more relaxing and you will understand what you are doing better. I have turned down some movie scripts because from the very first page, one can predict what will happen in the end. There might be no suspense and intrigue.. I have done a good number of movies, but I am very comfortable with soaps.. Right now, I will do a turn around the movies, because that was where I came into the industry from, I want to be seen as an actor, not a soap opera actor. There tend to be divisions, but it shouldn't be like that, because acting remains the same.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ACTRESSES MOVING INTO THE PRODUCTION OF SOAPS MORE?
There was a time when the world was seen as the ultimate, but after some time, people started turning in funny kinds of movie scripts, and actors were getting tired of that. soaps are intriguing and filled with suspense. Maybe, actors are getting tired of the kind of movie scripts producers churn out these days. There is a serious cross over and one of the reasons is that the movie industry is kind f epileptic right now.

YOU TALK SO PASSIONATELY ABOUT SOAP OPERAS, COULD IT BE THAT YOU LIKE THE SOAPS MORE THAN THE MOVIES?
No. Like I said before, acting remains the same, I don't have a preference for anyone of them. I see both of them as good jobs. There are people whom I will give an arm and a leg to work with, people like Emem Isong and Mildred Okwo. When you hear that they are about to produce a movie, you can tell the quality of the movie without seeing the script. It is not good enough for you to do twenty movies, and no impact is felt, its not all about the monetary angle, there is the passionate side to the job to consider.

THERE IS THIS GENERAL BELIEF THAT YOU ARE A NO NONSENSE PERSON AND THAT SUCH ATTITUDE IS THE REASON WHY PRODUCERS IN THE MOVIE INDUSTRY DON'T GIVE YOU SCRIPTS REGULARLY?
I am known for being a no nonsense person because I am a very discilined person. I don't like going late to a set. If I can get to the set even an hour before the time, and i see someone whom I am supposed to work with strolling in after two hours, it makes me angry. I see it as a lack of discipline and professionalism that everyone is crying about. Naturally, I am a no nonsense person and it has nothing to do with the progress of my career, All the directors whom I have worked with in the movie genre are very reputable and they don't take nonsense too.

DOES IT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOUR BACKGROUND OR DID YOU JUST CHOOSE TO GROOM YOURSELF IN THIS WAY?

There is no strategy attached to it all. It is the way I was brought up. We were taught to be disciplined by my parents. My friend Ejiro okurame calls me oku which means fire. That is the way people perceive me, and my background has alot to do with it. It does not mean that I fight, but I set a standard anywhere I go and maintain it. My parents are very strict and they inculcated that spirit in all of us.

FROM THE WAY YOU TALK, AM JUST WONDERING IF YOU HAVE A LOVE LIFE?
I have, you have, everybody has. I am in a relationship, but it is one angle i don't talk about .

YOU HAVE REMAINED OUT OF CONTROVERSIAL LIMELIGHT. HOW DID YOU MANAGE TO ACHIEVE THAT?
I am a child of God, and i don't believe in scandals. I am not an indescent person: i live right and straight. I try not to do anything that will put me into any kind of controversy. I have my family name to pretect. They were not pleased when i=I was going into the industry. They only started supporting me when they realised how well i could handle the whole thing and still keep my descency intact. There are still so many people in this industry who are not scandalous, but they have been hit by the wind of controversy. I have not been hit and I pray i will not be hit in Jesus name;say Amen for me now (laughs).

YOU DONT COME FROM THE THEATRE BACKGROUND. WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO COME INTO THE INDUSTRY?
I nursed the passion for acting for a long time. I used to participate in stage acting in my primary school days. Then such activities were documented and sent to NTA, and i can remember my mom pointing me out on TV: that motivated me, then Liz Benson was also a major influence. I love that woman: i like her style and personality. She and a few other people motivated me alot. I discovered that I had the faliar and passion for acting, so I decided to pursue it.

RIGHT NOW YOU ARE S STUDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS, HOW DO YOU BALANCE YOUR STUDIES AND YOUR ACTING CAREER?
It has not been easy but I still cope, my department is one where what you score is what you get. profession that puts you out there in the limelightwhat you earn in terms of marks is what the lecturer will record for you. All my lectueres know me that I try to work hard. I used to shuttle between location and school: most times i wake up at night to study. It has not been easy and I am glad that its almost over. I can't even tell anyone to write my tests or do my assingments for me.

HOW DO YOU MANAGE FELLOW STUDENTS AND LECTURERS WHO MIGHT BE LOOKING AT YOU WITH THAT EYE OF STARDOM?
Honestly, my lecturers are very proud of me: They know the amount of hardwork i put in school and I have good grades to show for it. Its a profession that puts you out there in the limelight, So everybody expects me to laugh with them all the time. I can't be playing in class because I have alot of things to do withtin a short period of time. So, you can't catch me in class talking unnecessarily. Most people think I feel pompous because I act, but i don't allow such comments to pull me down. Not everybody can love me, but I have very good friends who really support what I do.

WHAT ARE YOU SO PASSIONATE ABOUT IN ACTING?
I love the camera, it is my playground. I can't be tensed in front of the camera. I have been a lover of the camera since my childhood.