…Says “my career was prophesied by my mum before she died”
Trinity Adannaya Ugonabo is a Nollywood actress and film-maker, who in 2019 participated in UUC, a development project for rising actors, and was awarded the most outstanding actor from a short film entitled: SCORE.
In this interview, she said she was christened drama queen, which has resonated in her career in the entertainment industry.
How did you get interested in your present career?
My present profession is something that I have passion for as a child. In fact, I was always referred to as a drama queen from a tender age. Aside that, I had always known that I would be a film-maker, but did not know how it will manifest; either way, I didn’t know. I had always wanted to be on the air because each time I watch movies or presenters, I imagined myself being one of them.
How did you rise to stardom?
I started in the industry as a make-up artist, then got into acting for a while and decided to go to film school. After film school, I started film making and proper production. I did a couple of things on Astra TV Africa on YouTube, and that was more of the limelight because after that, stories kept coming. Again, I am a story teller, I look at ordinary things and make a story out of it. After a couple of movies, I started producing and that was it.
How has the society been treating you?
To be sincere, the society has been fair to me in all honesty. Maybe, I will call it grace of God especially when one sees or hears what other people in the industry go through. Again, I have been telling stories that are seriously relatable because that is how my stories come about. I do not just wake up and say this is what I am working on. First, I look at my environment and what happens in it, I really do it from a human angle perspective and when such stories are told; the resultant effect must hit someone directly or indirectly. Someone somewhere must be hit by that story. So far, I have been accepted well in the society and have not had issues, maybe because I have not done anything controversial. But for people talking someone down, I am a woman and part of life is to hear crazy things like a recent interview I granted a newspaper where we had a general interactive session on my work, bride price etc, and it came with a crazy headline, ‘I need man with plenty money’, I was confused. An interview that has to do with my works, my family, father and the head line was, ‘I need man with plenty money.’ But that is by the way.
How are you coping with the rise and what opportunities has it brought you?
So far so good, it has been amazing. It has brought me opportunities in the sense that when people see what you have done, a lot of people would want to see what you have done to give you something to do. They would like to see evidence that you can handle what it is that is given to you. People who see what I have done would want to give me more to do. Coping with the stardom is not exactly easy, but then again, as a film-maker and one who is passionate about what she does, nothing exactly is a challenge. One just needs to learn on the job; every single thing that appears to be a challenge is a learning process, in all, it has been amazing.
How did your family, especially parents see your career?
Truth is that I have the most supporting father ever. My dad has never ever said this is what you will do or vice versa. Just like every other parent, they insisted I must finish school before delving into the entertainment industry. But so far, my dad is my biggest supporter, he is my number one cheer leader. Whenever I do a project, he would be the one to share it on all social media platforms. He has been very supportive of me. My mother is late, but before she passed on to glory, she was also in support of what I was doing. Everything happening today in my career was prophesied by her before she died.
What advice would you give to upcoming film-makers?
Truth is that, this might sound cliché’ but destiny might be delayed, not denied. I need every young talented dreamer who want to build their career in whatever field not to let people deceive them or tell them lies because their dreams are very valid. All I can say is dream and put in the work; if one dreams without putting in the work, nothing will come out of it. Therefore, dream, put in the work, be consistent and network properly. Know your network and hold on to it.
Tell us about your family?
I am the first child of my parents. We are four siblings, two boys and two girls. My mother suffered cancer and died six years ago. My dad has been wonderful, effortlessly being the father and mother together for my siblings and I ever since my mother passed away. He has been one hail of an amazing man. Each time I try to talk about my family, I get so emotional because that is the weakest spot for me. I do not joke with my dad and siblings. I started my career from Tender-land Primary school, and Caritas University. I could not graduate from the school because the focus was on my mum who was down with cancer, school fees of a private university was lot, so I had to literary drop out of school to focus on my mum’s health. After which, I went to graduate from a College of Education affiliated to University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Off for my national service year through completion; I started off with a salon because I stared making hair from my secondary and tertiary schools. My parents were amazing, they gave me every single attention and support that I needed, the love was so much. Personally, I have always been someone who wants to make her own money; but my father would call me and ask, ‘Uche, don’t you need pocket money? you hardly call to ask for money.’ Why? Once he asked me ‘are you sure you are not doing anything funny to get money? I would respond, no dad; but I explained
How was growing up?
Growing up was amazing in my family. I grew up with too much love. I like to refer to my siblings and I as ‘love children’. In my house we would rather say I love you instead of good morning because the morning is already good. That is how much love we brought in our midst. As a Christian, we were brought up in the way of the Lord, but then we are humans who also deviate from time to time; but the beautiful thing is that we have a background where we are coming from which has protected me a lot. For every single time I find myself in public, I would be drawn back with my inner thoughts which my father inculcated in me ‘be careful, know where you are coming from, know the daughter of who you are.’ It will ring continuously in my head because my dad will cap his admonition with ‘good name is better than money.’ I was brought up with such injunctions.