I Was Refused Makeup Because I Was Not Star-Nollywood's Uche Joan Iwuanyanwu

Uche Joan Iwuanyanwu

Nigerian actress Uche Joan Iwuanyanwu has told NEWS-ONE that her first experience on set as an aspiring actress was not a pleasant one.
According to her, she was told in the face by a makeup artiste that she was not a star, therefore there was no need making her up for her close-up shots.
However she did not allow that experience to derail her dream of becoming one of Africa’s most celebrated actresses. She overlooked it and did what she was supposed to do in the movie perfectly.
“Hmm, I think I was a bit skeptical on set, because of the way the makeup artist treated me. Not a she, a he. To be sincere, on my close ups he never touched my face, saying to me it did not matter because I was not yet a star. Imagine. It almost affected me but with encouragement from the actors I was with on set, my acting went well,” she said when asked about her first time experience.
Uche hails from Mbano Local Government area of Imo state and is an Economics graduate from the University of Jos, Plateau state.
She has been acting since 2009 and featured in a few Ghana and Nigeria collaboration movies.
She is currently one of the rising hot faces in Nollywood.
She was recently in Ghana for the premiere of “Cheaters” in which she played an amazing role alongside Jackie Appiah, Adjetey Anang, Omar Sherriff Captan, Chichi Neblett, Okawa Shaznay and others.
Below is a chat she had with NEWS-ONE when she came to Ghana.     
 Who is Uche?
Uche is the third of six Children raised in a Godly family. A diploma holder in Mass Communication and a Bsc Economics Graduate.

Where do you come from in Nigeria?
Imo State, Isiala Mbano Local government to be precise.

How long have you been acting?
I have been off and on acting since 2009 because of school. But now I'm done. So I’m going into acting full time.

How did it all start?
Started 2009 in Lagos, through the assistance of my aunt and the first movie I starred in, was titled  “Queen of Passion” produced by Oscar Rondodo.

What role did you play in Queen of Passion?
I played the wife of Sino Anagor, he was Yemi Blaq’s best friend. As his wife, I was to convince Yemi Blaq beyond every reasonable doubt that marriage was important and that he should stop chasing too much money and get a wife (laughs).

How many movies so far?
Fifteen (15) movies thereabout including Queen of Passion, Break Away, Candy Girls, Naked Desire, Real Passion, Cold Passion, Port Harcourt Babes, Daughters of Babylon, Undercover, 4play Reloaded, Pool Party, Somewhere In Africa, God of Shiloh, God of Zion And Cheaters.

Do you still remember your first experience on set? What really happened?
Hmm, I think I was a bit skeptical on set, because of the way the makeup artist treated me.

How did she treat you?
Not a ‘she’, a ‘he’. To be sincere, on my close ups he never touched my face, saying to me it did not matter because I was not yet a star. Imagine it.

Did that affect your performance on the set or in that film?
Almost! But with encouragement from the actors I was with on set, my acting went well.

 At what point in life did you realize you could act and wanted to be an actor?
I would say acting for me was something I loved and wanted to do from a tender age, taking examples from my church drama participation.


By Francis Addo (NEWS-ONE)