Mention controversy and you mention actress, Bukky Wright. In a career spanning over a decade and half, she’s carved a niche for herself as one of Nollywood’s popular faces especially in the Yoruba sector.
In this interview with The Sun, the mother of two opens up on her challenges as an actress, why her marriage broke up and why she has chosen to forgive her ex and in-laws.
Excerpts:
BACKGROUND
I’m from a polygamous home. I was raised here in Lagos. I’m a graduate of Economics. I’m an actress, scriptwriter, producer and of course, a business person. My mum was an Air Force officer so we moved around a lot. I tried to get a job after I graduated from the University of Lagos but couldn’t. That’s how I became a full time housewife. I later enrolled in a fashion school after which I started running my own fashion house. As a young girl I wanted to be a banker or work in an oil company and I also wanted to own my own fashion house. I’ve always been a fashionable person. Today I have my own fashion house and a spa called B-Wright. And now I’m diversifying into beauty line products. A lot of people have stopped me to ask what I use for my skin.
ACTING CAREER
My acting career started after I left the father of my children. While I was still married to him I was offered acting jobs that I turned them down because he would not let me be. Immediately I left him I started acting. Shan George was our tenant while I was married to my ex. A lot of actors and actresses came to visit her and she suggested acting to me so I decided to give it a try after we parted ways. Shan was the one that introduced me to Sunny Okem and Sunny introduced me to Fidelis Duker. My first acting job came from Fidelis Duker. I played the role of Linda in Visa To Hell. The producer decided to turn it into a soap opera and I was in the soap opera as well. I played the role of Linda or something like that. I was auditioned by the producer and I got my script right there on the set.
I never thought I was going to become an actress. while studying at the University of Lagos. I saw students of Theatre Arts as noise makers and lazy people. They included Tunji Sotimirin and the likes. I thought they disturbed the whole school. I never knew I was going to one day become a noise maker too. I had thought I was going to work in a bank or an oil company.
ON HER MUM
I admired my mum a lot especially when she’s in her uniform. I’m the first child and the only female from my mum. We are four children in number. And fortunately enough for me, I’m a mother of boys; I have two boys. My first son would be 22 In December while the second is 19. My boys are now in the University in the USA. And it’s not by my making; it’s the grace of God. I know of a lot of women who had the time and energy than I ever did and more money and everything but are no where today. It’s only God that take cares of children.
ON EX-HUBBY
It was really tough. I thank God my mother and siblings were alive. My first child was six, or there about; they were quiet young them. At first I took them but they (husband and in-laws) took them back from me. I came into the movie industry because of my children, thinking that if they watched my movies, they would be able to know their mum. However, God was directing my part. Initially I was not allowed to see my kids but all that is over now. In retrospect I don’t think that they were been wicked. I believe it’s the part that God wanted me to go through. Maybe, If I’d not gone through what I went through with my ex mother-in law, I may not have been equipped to understand a lot of things today. God was trying to prepare me for the future. I don’t hate my in laws for what they did to me. As a matter of fact, I respect them for training me the hard way. That has made me what I am today. I don’t hate my ex mother-in law. I respect her and I see her as a strong woman whom I learned from.
A lot of people might say, ‘Oh she’s a wicked woman! They may even curse her for what she did. I don’t hate the father of my children either. And I wish a lot of women will see things my way. Do not cry over spill milk. I’m an optimistic person.
If only those women criticising me could wear my shoes and feel where it hurts they won’t judge me. Later I spoke with my ex so he could let my kids spend time with me. He later agreed after much persuasion. They would come spend the weekend with me and I’d take them back to school on Monday. And after school I’d go back to school praying my husband won’t go back to pick them. After a while he agreed to give me back my children because he was already married to someone else.
I think we were not meant to be. That’s why the marriage failed. It’s all about destiny. We women we are our own enemies. Men support and stand by each other no matter what. Women love to gossip and destroy other women they see as a treat.
ON HER KIDS
I have always encouraged my children to come into show business. My first son, Olugbenga, who’s schooling in the US sings and raps. I remember back then my mother used to say to me to look for another profession if acting could not put food on my table. This was because whenever I came back from location I still asked her for money.
MODELLING CAREER
I actually started out as a model. I did Tom Tom and Gala among other television commercials. I think I got my talent from my mother who was once a model; she did the first Suzuki advert. If you could remember the Suzuki calendar, she was the model in hot pants with a face cap on a Suzuki motorcycle. I really admire her. I got a lot of encouragement from my mummy. She took care of my boys while I was on location. She started encouraging me after she saw my first movie. Initially she used to complain. I lost my mother about six years ago. She was a very sweet mother.
CHALLENGING ROLES
An actress is as good as her last job. I love taking challenging roles. Saworide, produced by Tunde Kelani and Super Story, O Father O Daughter by Wale Adenuga brought me to limelight. I give so much time to all my characters and it just happens that I get challenging roles. And I play my roles passionately.
SEX-FOR-ROLE
We are all adults. If a producer asks you out, it’s left for you to either say yes or no. We’re all human. It happens everywhere. Do you want to do it because you have to or because you want to? I can only speak for myself. I have never been asked for sex-for-role. Having said that, I’m an adult and I’m not a saint. Neither is any women out there, the saints are not yet born so why do we keep deceiving ourselves.
LOVE ADVANCES
I’m a very private person. Most of the time such men become my friends. I just tell them ‘I like you and I want us to be friends.’ I have a lot of male friends. I don’t call them names because I know they only appreciate me as a woman. It’s now left for me to know how to handle it. The very stubborn ones just give up after sometime when they see that I don’t budge; I just stop picking their calls. I’m very nice on the phone; I talk nicely and eventually when I stop picking the calls and I meet the person one way or the other I just apologize nicely.
ON NUDITY
How do you mean nude? Like take it all off? We all wear transparent clothes that reveal our bras our under garments. We wear some tops called tissue top. We wear some laces that reveal our bodies. So as an actress, If I’m asked to take a role, I’m only doing my job. It does not mean that’s who I am. I’m being paid to play a role as an actress that’s very passionate about her job. The only thing I won’t do is to reveal my private parts. But I can wear my bikini. If you have a good body, flaunt it. The only thing I don’t like is when you flaunt what needs to be covered up. Work on it if you want to reveal it. If you know you want to reveal some parts of your body in a movie, work on it. If I cannot reveal, that doesn’t mean another person can’t. And don’t forget, acting is make belief
I’m a script writer so I don’t see any big deal in nudity. A lot of us reveal our bodies knowingly or unknowingly so why all the pretence? The only thing I don’t like is when the scene does not call for it. Take for example a pool scene and the script says bikini but you now sit by the pool in some funny looking leggings; it’s not appropriate.
IDEAL MAN
I am attracted to God fearing and good looking men. I don’t like fat men. I love tall dark and slim men.
TURNS OFF
I don’t like deceitful and uncaring men. I could die for a very caring man. I’m a very romantic person so I love romantic men; I love surprise gifts. As a young girl growing up I read a lot of Mills & Boom. I like my man to surprise me with gifts; it sweeps me off my feet. I don’t like men that wait for you to ask before they give. I like men that are in control and know what to do. But I notice that with most men, if you don’t ask you don’t get.
ON RUMOURS
I’ve heard so many rumours about my person and I’m just not that kind of a person that cries over spilt milk. I used to cry in the past when I read or heard rumours about me. But now I see press as press; bad or good press is press. If people talk about you it means you’re relevant. And if you’re doing well in your career people will talk. My favourite saying is ‘never mind opposition in life if you want to win the race.’ Because the moment you do you forget totally about winning that race. All these things are meant to distract you. These rumours only give me the courage to want to do more to succeed and prove detractors wrong. The only way to win any fight in this life is to succeed.
ROLE MODELS
I love Joan Collins. I love people that are determined to succeed against the odds. I love strong women of passion and integrity no matter what you say or think about them. Every strong woman out there is a role model.
FULFILLMENT & DREAMS
Until we get to that age where we cannot do anything anymore we are not fulfilled. So I am not living my dreams yet; I still want more. But I’m happy.
GOALS & ASPIRATIONS
I have won several awards but I’m hoping that someday I would win an Oscar. I’m waiting for that time when Nigerian movies would be rated in the Oscars and that’s the day I’m going to hold the plague.
WHAT KEEPS ME GOING
The grace of God and my children keep me going. I don’t know if I’m going to have more children but never say never.
REGRETS
I have none. If all that happened had not happened, Bukky Wright won’t be a household name today. It was tough initially. There were times I was on location without getting paid; it was tough when I started out. It was passion that was pushing me on. However I felt all I was going through was a learning stage for me.
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