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JUDITH Iwu is a Nollywood actress, who has featured in so many movies alongside veterans like Nkem Owoh (Osuofia), John Okafor (Mr. Ibu), Mercy Johnson-Okojie, Ramsey Nouah, Chiwetalu Agu and many others.
The University of Lagos graduate of Insurance, who hails from Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State, began her acting career with stage drama in 2008. She later joined Nollywood in 2010 and came into the limelight after starring in House of Trouble.
In this interview, the single mother of three talks about her career, relationship, new movie project and many other things. Here are excerpts:
Give us a brief background of yourself.
Judith Chinenye Iwu hails from Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State. I studied Insurance at University of Lagos. I started my acting career with stage drama in 2008 and later joined Nollywood in 2010. I came into the limelight after starring in such movies like House of Trouble, Priceless Woman, Nicest Gifts to Men, Evil Household, Enemies of Progress, Oga Madam, and Throne of Disaster etc. I am a single mother of three lovely children.
Your first time on set, how did it go?
My first time on set went quite well because the stage actually prepared me. So, when I came into Nollywood, it was easier. Though, there were some mistakes here and there; by the special grace of God, I am an actor with stage experience so it was easy for me to assimilate lines.
Are you currently working on any project?
Yes, as a matter of fact, I am going for a job in Port Harcourt and by March I am having two Netflix jobs, second and third week of March to be precise.
Any plans for remarriage?
If God permits, I will give it a shot. But for now, marriage is not a priority.
How do you cope with career as a single mum?
It has not been easy juggling my acting career with single motherhood. But God has been seeing me through all the struggles. We move!
How do you deal with heartbreaks? Can you share your last heartbreak experience with us?
To be honest, I don’t feel like discussing my private life with the media. But I have never had heartbreak; it’s just that my first marriage didn’t work. Personally, I don’t have the habit of jumping in and out of relationship. As a matter of fact, after my failed marriage, I stayed for many years without bothering myself about relationship. So, I have not had any heartbreak.
Are you in any relationship now?
Yes, I am in a relationship. And don’t be in a hurry to know who he is. You will get to know him soon.
Who is your celebrity crush?
I don’t have any crush in the movie industry. I only have seasoned actors I look up to. They are actors like Meryl Streep, Viola Davis, RMD, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, and Joke Silva.
As a beautiful lady, what are the day-to-day challenges you encounter?
Well, it is a natural phenomenon that men must make advances to you. It is not every rain that falls that you bring out bucket to fetch. Again, that is not even my priority. I will agree with you that I have some challenges both in and outside the industry. That is not my focus. I have a man I am dating, so why will I be looking around?
How do you deal with sexual harassment in the industry?
I call them out. If you are a producer and you harass me sexually, I’ll call you out because it is not a good thing. When I was coming up, I had not the courage to talk about it, but now if you try it with me, I’ll call you out.
Do you sometimes wish you were not in the limelight?
No, I don’t. I enjoy every bit of it, though it comes with its ups and downs.
How do you prepare yourself to take on a character, especially the tedious ones?
First of all, I hand it over to God in prayers, then I do a research pertaining to that particular character. For instance, If I am playing a doctor, since I am not a doctor in real life, I will do research that concerns doctors. After everything, I will assimilate my lines; that settles it.
We hear some Nollywood practitioners are diabolical, how true is it?
Of course, it’s different strokes for different folks. They know themselves; I have no business with them.
How about lesbianism and homosexuality in the industry, has a lesbian approached you before?
They are in the industry, not only in Nollywood, but also in every walk of life. It’s just that we are in the limelight; that is why people get to know what is going on. Lesbians have approached me several times but I turned them down because it is not my thing.
What would make you more fulfilled in your career?
I am looking forward to getting endorsement because I merit it. I want to become brand ambassador to companies.
Where do we expect to see you five years from now?
I am hoping for the best. God knows best. In His time, He will make everything beautiful.
Looking back at your life and career, what do you think you did wrong that you would like to make right given the opportunity?
Getting married very early, that was the worst mistake I made. Though, I won’t call it a mistake because everything happens according to God’s plans. But from a human point of view, I see it as a mistake because I believe I would have accomplished more if I had not gotten married early.
What should fans expect from you this year?
I have two Netflix jobs coming up in March, and I intend to produce my second movie this year.
What is the most challenging role you have got as an actor?
That was in the movie, House of Trouble. The role I played in the movie was very challenging. The story was a satire; the character was very mean. It wasn’t an easy task; it was very tough for one to go into such character. To the glory of God, that was the same movie that brought me into the limelight because I put in some hard work, and it turned out fine.
What are some of the challenges you face on movie sets?
For one, I loathe tardiness. Some of my colleagues have the habit of coming on set late. Secondly, some location managers don’t do their jobs very well. Sometimes they get locations that don’t portray the story well.
What makes you happy and how do you relax when you are not on set?
The man in my life, my lovely kids and my career make me happy. Any time I am not on set, I cook and relax with my family. I am an introvert, so I love being around my family.