Mary Uranta is an established
actress in Nollywood. The whereabouts of the beautiful damsel has been a
subject of gossip for a while until recently when News Editor, Faith Irabor
encountered and spoke to her at length on where she`s been. Get set for her
honest truth.
Where in God’s name have you been?
Oh my God! Everybody keeps asking
this question. I have been around.
Yeah, we hardly see you even on
screen these days?
You have not been seeing me or you
don’t get to buy movies and that’s exactly the way it is with a lot of people,
all our people are used to, is DSTV, Africa Magic where they show old movies, I
have been working my ass out for crying out loud since the beginning of this
year.
Okay can you mention some of your
new works?
I have done a lot of jobs this year
and I don’t even know where to start from. We have Haram it’s about to be out,
Mistress, Angel of My Life, about to be out, and many more and still everybody
keep asking where I`ve been, I have been working.
What then do you think is
responsible for this?
Maybe it’s because I am not the
outgoing type, maybe because I don’t even go to events.
But why would you as an actress not
be the outgoing type?
I honestly do not know, I just know
that I don’t really like going out when I am not working and it has become a
part of me and funny enough am not an introvert, though I don’t just like to be
seen at places. I have said to myself that from now till December I will keep
partying so that people would see that I am not an introvert and also fun to be
with.
For the sake of those who have lost
the memory, can you still remind us the movie that brought you into limelight
and when?
Waoh! That’s a big one, okay I
think Girls Hostel in the year 2001 but because I was still in school, I did
one or two films, and ran away for two years or less but got back fully in 2005
when I did the movie titled Tea or Coffee and Secret Mission. And my roles in
these two movies also re-lunched me into the industry when they were released.
I have been around ever since and everything has been good with me.
How would you define your person if
you’re asked to?
Naturally, I’m a quiet person. Most Nollywood
producers believe that because Mary is quiet, she deserves roles that portray
her true nature. So, all the roles I have been playing overtimes in movies are
roles that have really interpreted my real person. For sometimes now, I have
broken that jinx because I don’t want to be stereotyped. Each time there is a
good girl role to be played in a movie, I would be the person to be invited to
pick up such role. At a point, I said to myself, if there is no such role to
give to me again, it means that there wouldn’t be any job for me again. So I
have decided to start demanding for more challenging roles.
And how has this been able to
contribute to your career?
Recently, I broke away from that chain, when I
acted the role of a school girl as well as a prostitute in a
Ghanaian movie titled “Cold Passion and Real
Passion.”
People who have seen that movie commended me for a job well done. Some people
said they never believed I could interpret the role very so well. I think it
was because of how I interpreted my role in that movie that got me a similar
role I played in Stanley Ebonine’s new movie. It’s not like the usual role I
used to play in the past, where producers would cast me as a Church
girl,
a lawyer
and all that. Today, I have been able to break away from that chain. It does
not mean that I still wouldn’t play those kinds of roles anymore. But I don’t
want to be stereotyped.
You have a very polished accent.
What’s your educational background?
Thanks. I studied Secretarial
Administration at the University of Science & Technology in Rivers State. I
also attended Holy Rosary Girls
Secondary school; it’s a Catholic school and Sacred Heart primary school also a
Catholic school. I also travelled out of the country to update my
knowledge sometimes last year 2011. I went for a six months’ programme at the
London School of Arts. I felt there was need for me to add something to my
Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Why Secretarial Administration?
When I got admission to study Secretarial
Administration, at the University of Science & Technology, Port-Harcourt,
my friends were surprised that I was going to study the course. To them,
studying Secretarial Administration would take me away from actualizing my
dream of going into the acting profession. They advised that I should apply for
courses like Theatre Arts and Mass Communication. But since Secretarial
Administration was what I was offered to study at the university, I had no
choice than to accept the offer. Again, I didn’t want to continue to wait until
I’m lucky to secure admission to study the right course. After all, it is not
everybody that is in the industry today read Theatre Arts. Yet they are all
doing very well in their respective areas of specialization
You’ve also been able to maintain a
scandal free profile?
Yeah, Scandal has not hit me because I live a
quiet life. Even if scandal hit me today, I will know that somebody is after
me. I have got parents who are watching my back and also, brothers out there
who are giving me their supports. I cannot afford to disappoint them. That’s
why I always do my things peacefully. If eventually I’m hit by scandal
tomorrow, I will feel bad because of my Dad who is a man of God and my mum
who’s actually behind me and gives me advice from time to time. Though my
parents know the kind of daughter they have. They wouldn’t be moved if they
hear any negative story about me. I grew up in the church, and my father is one
of the leaders of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Port-Harcourt.
From my observation it seems,
you’ve lost some weight?
Yes you’re very correct, I just
decided to cut down some food intakes and watch my weight because I want to
look like my mates. I want to keep looking good.
But are you sure it’s not because you’re
threatened by the new faces flocking the industry because you’re one of the
actresses that have been around?
Never, nobody can be a threat or
push me away o whether you’re coming today or you’ve been there. I have senior
colleagues that are still relevant so also will I remain relevant even if one million
new faces join the industry because my style is unique and not the same with
anyone else. All the same I wish them well.
You just talked about style, what’s
your style?
Like what I have on my ears is my
style! I mean my earrings, it’s unique and it`s like my identity. I did it
myself, I do my things and I like to be simple.
What’s your fashion statement?
Fashion is good being simple and
people still see you and appreciate whatever you wear.
Where is Mary from?
I am from Rivers State, Okpobo to be precise.
Why are you still single?
(Laughs) that question is kind of
hard and I really can’t say anything to that. My belief is when the time is
right, the right man will come.
How do you define your right man?
I don’t have to define a right man
in anyway. Though I want a man who would love me for me, and understand me
completely that is what I tell God whenever I pray about this.
Can you marry a fellow
actor?
Hmm, well I have never thought
about this neither have I imagined it.
Can you marry someone from the
entertainment industry?
I don’t know please.
Have you ever dated one before?
No, I haven’t sincerely.
Okay which actor did you have a
crush on when you were just coming up?
(Loud laughter) but if I don’t say anybody
again now you would say I am lying or even pretending but that’s the truth.
Who was the first actor you had a
deep kiss with on a movie set?
Who did I kiss? I kiss a lot of
people in the movies but the main person I really kissed and felt like oh my
God I am kissing a friend is Ghanaian actor Prince David Ossei and with Desmond
Elliot.
What footprints would you want to
leave behind when you’re no longer acting?
For my simplicity, calmness and
humility and that I am a happy girl
Thanks for your time
I also appreciate yours.
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