Perhaps,
it is one of the interesting revelations to have come out of this year’s Africa
Movie Academy awards (AMAA) in Nigeria as popular Hollywood actor Rockmond
Dunbar has declared he is a Nigerian.
The
popular actor was among some of the top names in Hollywood at the AMAA on
Sunday. Lynn Whitfield, Maya Gilbert, and Morris Chestnut were also there.
That
was Dunbar’s second time in Nigeria and he came with his mother.
Rockmond
told journalists on Saturday during a press conference ahead of the award
ceremony, to clear alleged comments made by Morris Chestnut about Eko Hotel in
Lagos, that his DNA proved that he was a Nigerian.
“It
is absolutely incredible. I had a great time here. I did have a good time and I
will be back. The reason I brought my mother over was because of our African
ancestral and DNA. I took a test just recently and I’m Yoruba. I am very happy
that I come from a very long great line of very strong, intelligent,
hospitable, humble people. So I had to bring my mother back to show her where
you (his mom) are from and proud to be a Yoruba,” he said at the event.
He
was passionate about coming for the AMAAs and applauded Nollywood’s movie
productions.
After
the conference, he told NEWS-ONE that he had not too much expectation
for the awards.
“I
have no expectations for tomorrow (Sunday April 22). Y
ou know I don’t go into any
project or any situation with any expectation because God has humbled me to the
point that I just wait on Him. So I do want to see an incredible show. I
definitely wanted to be entertained; that is why we are coming to celebrate and
to be entertained. We are going to have a good time tomorrow. I am happy to be
here and I’m happy to be part of AMAA,” he said on Saturday April 21.
However,
he confessed that he hadn’t seen much African movies. “You know, I’m not well-versed
into African movies because I just came to Africa, a year-and-half ago. My
reach for African movies wasn’t that well and I’m struggling to make filmmaker
friends that are within Africa. I’m also struggling to get a little more
accustomed to actors and actresses and the films that are shot here. That is
what I’m doing now,” he noted.
But
that could not stop him from talking about Nollywood films, which he thought
were advanced.
“Nigeria
films are bringing up the quality of production. You guys have the quantity, it
is there. So it is really taking the time on focusing in on really really great
stories out there. That’s what we really want to focus on and I’m here to help.
I’m here to get my expertise, thoughts, energy and whatever we need to do to
bring up the quality in filmmaking so they can be distributed all over the
world. That I think is very possible.” Rockmond is an American actor best
known for his roles as Kenny Chadway on the Showtime television drama series ‘Soul
Food’, and as Benjamin Miles ‘C-Note’ Franklin on the FOX television drama
series ‘Prison Break’
In
2007, Dunbar starred on the short-lived TNT medical drama ‘Heartland’.
He made a guest appearance on ‘Noah's Ark’ as himself to give Noah
(screenwriter and the main character of the show) some ideas about his movie ‘Fine
Art’. He also had a recurring role on the UPN series ‘Girlfriends’
and is also known for his role as ‘Pookie’ on the television series ‘The
Game’. He was also a regular on the short-lived FX series ‘Terriers’.
Dunbar's
other TV credits include guest appearances in ‘Earth 2’, ‘Felicity’, ‘The
Pretender’, ‘Two Guys and a Girl’ and ‘North Shore’. In 2011, he
joined the cast of FX's hit show ‘Sons of Anarchy’ as the new Sheriff of
Charming, Eli Roosevelt. His film projects include ‘Punks’ (which
debuted at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival), ‘Misery Loves Company’, ‘Sick
Puppies’, ‘Whodunit’, ‘Dirty Laundry,’ ‘All About
You’ and ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’.
credit: newsone, Francis Addo
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