I am Mercy Johnson, an actress. I was born 29 years ago and I am the fourth child in a family of seven. My father is an ex-military officer and I left my mother at the age of two to live with him. Due to the nature of his job, he was constantly transferred from one station to another. I am proud of him because he taught me all I needed to know from childhood to adulthood.
Movie industry
I
have grown with time and there have been good and bad times. There have
been rumours and scandals. Sometimes, when I cry in movies, it wasn’t
the script that made me cry. Rather, I reflect on my humble beginning
and the height I’ve attained now. This makes me cry.
Journey into acting
After
my secondary school education, I approached a friend for assistance to
feature in a movie. He took me to the National Theatre, Lagos, but a
role did not come until a year later. My first lead role was in a film
titled, ‘The Maid.’ It was quite challenging to interprete because it
was my first movie. When I saw the veterans on set, I fidgeted.
A star actress
Life
is in phases and I cannot say I have reached the peak of my profession.
I have not even won an Oscar yet! There is always a higher mountain to
climb, a new vision to fulfill and I am at that point. I want to achieve
new and greater dreams.
Fulfillment
The greatest fulfillment is the ability to influence people positively through my acting.
Challenges
Life is not a bed of roses; it comes with challenges which make me stronger and who I am.
Nollywood: Then and now
We
have achieved feats which the old Nollywood did not achieve. It is all
about progression and I am sure that in the future, Nollywood will
achieve a greater feat than it is doing currently.
Relationship
My
husband is loving and he is an understanding man. I am so happy to be
married to him. I acted a movie, ‘Baby Oku in America’ when I was
heavily pregnant and he didn’t feel bad about it. He understands that I
am an actor and sometimes, we need real life situations, like the
pregnancy, to interpret a role. Not many men would allow their wife do
that.
Scandals
They
are all lies. I just think the media needs to do their verification
well before they put any story out. Whenever I read all manner of lies
about me in the media, I wonder where all of these came from and regret
being an actor. But in all, I move on and take it as one of the hazards
of the job. I am fulfilled as an actor.
Mercy Johnson Foundation
I
floated the foundation because of my love for the less privileged. One
of my greatest joys is to see other people happy. I want to make lasting
impact in my society. The objective is to identify the needs of the
less privilege, evaluate them and help in our own little way. I strongly
believe that as movie stars, we should live beyond the euphoria of
stardom.
A sexy woman
It
is inbuilt. It’s just how you feel about yourself. For me, being sexy
is confidence. It mustn’t be about the hairstyle or the accessories or
the big buttocks. It’s about you, liking yourself just the way you are.
Motherhood
My
husband is a wonderful man. He makes my job easier and helps carry our
daughter, Purity. He feeds her and she misses him whenever he is not
around. As a family, we understand one another and we make whatever
adjustments we have to make in order to have a good home.
Success
The
challenges I faced have yielded results and I am reaping the fruits of
all my efforts. I have grown from nobody in the industry to becoming a
top actress from Africa. To God be all the glory.
To be an actress
Talent
is never enough you must constantly brush up your talent but training
can come in different form. You only need to ensure that in whatever
form, you are not just relying on your inborn talent.
Projects
There are many but I’m not permitted to disclose them yet. They will start unfolding soon.
Fear
My worst fear will be to leave this earth without making a huge impact.
Fashion
I
don’t wear what is in vogue or what everybody is wearing, I just wear
what suits me and I’m lucky to have a physique that encourages
everything I wear. My husband is a huge critic, so when he pays
compliments to my dressing, I feel so good. He doesn’t believe that
exposing anything makes you look better. He feels when you cover up, you
look real nice.
To upcoming actors
Be
yourself and let your talent speak for you. Don’t come into the
industry because you want to be famous, but because you love the art of
acting. Then try to appreciate those who were there before you.
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