Interview

I want to go into music not because my colleagues are doing it –actor Yemi Blaq

• Yemi Blaq is a Nigerian actor from Lagos.
• He tells Nollywoodgossip: “I started acting since 2005.”
• He says: “I’m married to a very beautiful woman. She is a writer and her name is Remi. I’m Yemi married to Remi (laughs), you see the similarity we both have. Very soon the world will find out that she is the best script writer here in Nigeria.”
• He says: “I have a son who is the joy of my life, his name is kay. He is so smart, brilliant and talented.”
• He says: “The movie that gave me the breakthrough is Lost to lost, which was my first lead role movie with Mercy Johnson.”
• “The distance between produced and written by my wife won an award.”
• He says: “My last work was a movie about the effect of religion, fanaticism of human relation. Shot in Abuja and directed by Ernest obi. The title is when love dies.”
• He says: “I got my inspirations from Almighty God. I also get inspired and learned from the environment and people around me, for instance, I learn from how people around me talk, how they react to situations, how they belittle themselves, and how they reason. Whenever I’m acting, I think back and say something like this has happened in the past, it helps me in my acting skills.”
• “The only thing people don’t know about me is that I love music. I want to go into music not because my colleagues are into it, but because I have the talent for it
• Please can we know you?   

My name is Yemi Blaq and I’m a Nollywood actor from Lagos.

Are you married?                      

Yes, I’m married to a very beautiful woman. She is a writer and her name is Remi. I’m Yemi married to Remi (laughs), you see the similarity we both have. Very soon the world will find out that she is the best script writer here in Nigeria. I have a son, who is the joy of my life, his name is kay. He is so smart, brilliant and talented.

How long are you in acting?                                     

I started acting since 2005 and till date – professionally, 6 years now.

How did it all start?            

I always wanted to act, I always love acting. I used to act back in school days. I studied theatre arts in school. I travelled and after I came back I joined AGN (Actors Guild of Nigeria) in the year 2005. I got my ID card and started featuring in movies, and since then it’s been one story to the other.

Which movie gave you the breakthrough?                                    

Lost to lost, which was my first lead role movie with Mercy Johnson. It came out successful and since then every director and producer want me to work for them. Because in the industry if you are good, people tend to utilize your talent, look for you.

How many movies have you acted in?                                      

I can’t count because they are too many. I think I have featured in like 100 or more, don’t know the actual figure.

Awards movies?         

There are quite a lot of them .The distance between produced and written by my wife won an award. The heroes shot in Hollywood. One of my movies has been nominated at Zafaa award London and I’m supposed to be there by now, but because of my work schedule, I’m still asking them to give me one or two days to go for the award.

Which is the most challenging role for you so far?                                       

Well, to me I find every role I play challenging, because when you are acting you are not portraying yourself but another character, which is entirely different from who you are.

Challenges?                                

The disappearance of unanimity is one of the challenges. Then the fact that I can’t just go out and be in the crowd like every other person can do, because before you know it some people will just shout “hey Yemi Blaq!

What inspires you?                     

I got my inspirations from Almighty God. I also get inspired and learned from the environment and people around me, for instance, I learn from how people around me talk, how they react to situations, how they belittle themselves, and how they reason. Whenever I’m acting, I think back and say something like this has happened in the past, it helps me in my acting skills.

About your last job?                   

It’s a movie about the effect of religion and fanaticism on human relations. Shot in Abuja and directed by Ernest obi. All the cast knew what they were doing  – and the director too. The title is when love dies.

And about your current job?

It’s another good story. It has complex characters, complex situations, It’s a story about how people go through challenges and how they grow and find solutions to them.

Your role?                          

I’m the boss in the movie, people here calls it the boss so I’m the bad guy in the movie.

The title?      

No title yet, because this days things are different, they don’t write the title anymore. They look at the expression in the movie and name it.

About the producer and the director?                                    

Ernest obi is the producer. We have come a long way. He is an actor, a producer and a director, so he is good. The executive producer is a young lady who knows what she wants and wants to make a name in the industry. The director Aquila Njama is not a person to be introduced, because he has done a lot of works. He is also good and at a time he was the youngest director around. He is not someone to be toyed with.

Tell us one secret people don’t know about you?                                  

The only thing people don’t know about me is that I love music. I want to go into music not because my colleagues are into it, but because I have the talent for it.

We wishes you the best.

Thanks for having me.