*says, “My man worships everything I do”
Having Nsikan Isaac, an upcoming Nollywood actress and producer, at the Vanguard office, Kirikiri Canal, Apapa, Lagos was sure a pleasing experience as the petrochemical engineering graduate of Rivers State University of Science and Technology not only captivated the hosts with her charm, she also serenaded us with her love story. With four full films and three short ones to her credit as a producer, the beautiful diva from Akwa Ibom State, is certainly on her way to the big times. But her transition from an actress to a producer, didn't come on a platter of gold, she had to pay the price and she shares her story with us.

By AYO ONIKOYI & ROTIMI AGBANA
How did the journey into acting begin?
Acting wasn't something I wanted to do as a career or profession; it was supposed to be a part time thing because all my life, right from when I was a kid I always wanted to be an engineer. When I saw an advert on Africa Magic, with an email address from a movie directed by Iyke Odife, I sent an email to them and they responded, asking me to send my pictures, which I did. They later called me that they had a job for me. I thought it was a joke, but eventually I went there and they gave me my first role which was in bloody Ring (2009). I did it and it was good, the guy said he was going to call me for another job and I thought it was another joke, but he called again. After that, I started getting jobs back to back but when I realised that my grades were really going down because I was focusing more on the entertainment industry, I had to go back to school to complete my studies which I felt was my first love. After I got done with school, I came back and thought the best way for me to come back into the industry was to start producing my own films. I produced my first movie with Emem Isong, titled The Banker. I also went further to do other projects like The Scorn Help with Ikenna Nnebue. I did another production titled Bad Face, and then my last job The Glass Slippers, also Emem Isong. I produced all these movies myself; so far I've produced four full HD movies and three short films.

To shoot a movie, how much should one be looking at?

Well, it actually depends on the class of production that you want to do. It depends on the materials that are also needed for the production as well. We could say approximately 6-7 million naira would suffice. Everything depends on the producer, and how you want the production to look like.

The 4-films you have produced, which would you say was most successful?

Well, the truth is the banker really made a lot of wave. I did the premier at the Civic Center last year. That's probably what shot me to limelight. Of all my movies, it's only The Scorn Help that is going to the cinemas, and I'm yet to release it.

Who were the actors you featured in The Banker?

I had Mbong Amata, Seun Akindele, myself, Nicole Banner and some other actors in the film. I produced The banker under Emem Isong's label, Royal Arts Academy. This was because movie production was new to me. I was venturing into the entertainment industry in a totally new area, unlike when I came out as an actor, but I was coming back as a producer so I needed Emem Isong, who is a renowned movie producer, everybody already knows her, so, I talked to her about what I wanted to do. That way I also learn from her, I couldn't just wake up and go invest money into something I didn't really know how to do, so that is why I decided to work under her label.

So you mean all the people you brought together to make this movie didn't cost you up to 6 million naira?

Well, we had a budget which Emem Isong sent to me. She did the budget breakdown and sent to me and that was it.

Did any of them do a free job for you?
Look, everybody is business-minded; everybody is a businessman, so they have to get paid for any job they do for you.

But why does everyone in Nollywood want to be a movie producer?

I wouldn't know about everyone, but I know about myself. I went into movie production because I had a story I wanted to convey to the audience. I didn't know any other way to do that and I didn't want a situation where I would have to sell the story out  to someone else who wouldn't translate it the way I would have wanted. And again, doing my own job gives me a lot of leverage, it gives me a lot of power over whatever I do. I can do any movie premier, advertisements on my job anytime, I can do any kind of promo on any of my jobs, I can make noise about it and it's not going to be a big deal because it's my job. You can't do that with someone else's job, you have little power, and you are just featured in the movie, not like you own the movie. So, my job gives me all the authority.

How lucrative has movie production been for you so far?

It's not been so good, maybe because of the economy or so, we're just doing it to keep body and soul together, just to be sure that you're doing something. Maybe the first job yielded very well, but my second job wasn't really okay, but that wouldn't stop me from doing my job. I still have to keep going because nobody believes it's going to be like this forever.

You are a very pretty lady, how often do people tell you this?

It actually doesn't sound new to me because I hear it every now and then, besides, I'm my own cheerleader (laughs).

What are the things that really piss you off in Nollywood?

There was this situation that happened; I have a friend back then from when I started doing movie productions, I said I was definitely going to have her on my jobs, she had her own jobs but when I shot one job and she wasn't featured there was a problem. She blew it out of proportion, she said a lot of things, like I didn't carry her along, this and that. What I don't like about this industry is the envy and back-stabbing .

Do you feel more fulfilled as a movie producer than as an actress?

I love it both ways. But acting actually makes me feel more comfortable, it brings out the talent in me more.

Why is it that you hardly find actresses who date actors?

I don't know but I don't defecate where I eat. I have never dated an actor and I never will. Even if it's for love I have to give that love a chance first before it manifests, and I'm not even ready to give it a chance. Like I said, I don't defecate where I eat, if I've to, let it just be far off.   Before I became an actress I had crushed on whom I wanted to crush on, like oh! I like his personality, I like the way he carries himself, the way he looks, but that's how far it goes, it just ends right there.

How much of your body can you reveal while on a movie set?

I can't wear the G-string kind of bikini on set; I can only wear the decent ones. There are decent swim suits, that are very nice . Like I said, if I'm taking up a job from somebody you have to know my kind of person first before we start. There are certain kinds of jobs I reject because I don't feel comfortable with the script. I'm not out to do a million jobs I'm not proud of, so I'd rather go for the few selected ones I know that at the end of the day I can sit down and watch with people that I love or with anybody and I can feel comfortable. Going naked in a movie is not something that has worked for me, so I'm not going to start it.

As an actress, how kind has love been to you?

Super kind, I've a very beautiful relationship, he worships everything I do, I'm like his priority so I feel comfortable; I feel safe, I feel care, I feel at home. I've been having a fantastically good time, a 100%.

What would you do if you walk into a room and find your heartthrob butt naked with another lady?

It can never happen, it has never happened and it never will. I don't even want to think about it. Let's even assume that something like that is going to happen, it's not going to be anywhere that I'll have to bump in, it can't even come close to me. If someone knows of such, there's no point telling me because what I experience is way different from what you come to tell me.

As a healthy girl how often should a girl have sex in a year?

The truth is, I think life is such a free place, people should be very spontaneous, nothing should be like the routine, things should just go by impulse. If it's Biblically right, you can get in the groove anytime you find yourself in the mood.

You are a woman in love; can you tell us what the experience of being in love is like?

I'm so feeble. I'm like a child (laughs). I'm so natural. I'm organic. I'm just the way I'm, I don't hide anything. I won't say I'm lucky but I've had the grace of meeting someone I can share my deepest feelings with without having to think twice on how he's going to take my thoughts and how he's going to take my plans or whatever my fears are. So far, I'm as open as possible when I'm in a relationship, I'm a 100% in honesty, character, etc when I'm with my partner, I don't hide anything.

I'm sure many men have tried to snatch you from your man, so can you tell us what it takes to win your heart?

You know they say the devil you know is better than the angel you don't know. But in this case, this is not even a devil; this is an angel I already know, so I would not trade him for anything. If I'm actually missing anything outside, maybe I would think of what anybody has to bring for me to have a change of mind. But I'm not missing anything; I'm in a very happy place.

Is it because the guy is rich or because he is very good in bed?

It's not really about the money, the character must be very beautiful, those other aspects don't matter. What I look at mainly is the heart, how you treat me is what really matters to me.

What if he becomes impotent along the line?
The fact that it wasn't a priority for me from the beginning, I wouldn't mind. I already told you, I go with the heart, how you treat me, it's more important to me than the other things. It's actually part of it but it's not the main thing, the fact that he was very potent but became impotent doesn't mean he will remain impotent forever, but I know this can never be, it can never happen.

What's the place of sex in a relationship?
Sex is part of a relationship, it keeps a relationship going.

You seem to be a very cool person, what could make you lose your cool?

It's very difficult for me to lose my cool. It's very hard, even if someone just runs in and grab my ass or boobs now, I won't lose my cool, I will just tell you straight up that I don't like what you just did.

If you have to choose between your relationship and your career, which would it be?

I would choose the love of my life.