Those of us that were addicted to the defunct soap opera, “Behind The clouds” on The Nigerians Television Authority (NTA) Lagos will never forget Franca Obianuju Brown who played the role of Mama Nosa. This is before the home video took over and she joined the band wagon.
The star actress who plays wicked roles in most of her films said: “I started acting in the industry as a very kind woman, good wife and good mother, but at a point, they felt like this woman, there must be an aspect of her that depicts wickedness. Let us try her in another role, so long as he is good in playing kind roles, she could also be good in playing wicked roles and that was how I started acting wicked roles and now everybody has forgotten my kind roles in the past.”
The former banker, however stressed that as a character, you must have to reflect the real life situation of whatever character you are asked to do. To me, your character must have some semblance, but that does not mean your character must look exactly the same in real life.
The famous actress who has featured in countless movies said” I thank God for fame, it is fame that has brought me this far, it has exposed me to a lot of people, it has taken me to corridors of power and it has made it possible for me to get to some places and not been searched like others. In fact it has opened doors for me, so, I really thank God for fame”.
The Nollywood screen goddess observed that the greatest challenge they face in the movie industry is lack of finance for films. According to her, some of the financiers use their money and influence to clamp down on their clients, bearing in mind that they are the only people who bring out their money to sponsor films, they believe that he who pays the piper must dictate the tune.”
She therefore called on government and other stakeholders in the industry to come to their aid by making funds available for films as this will help to break the monopoly enjoyed by the few financiers who run the industry as if it is their private houses.
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She is known for her exceptional ability to act as a wicked woman in movies. But recently, some people alleged that Franca Brown carried out her wicked roles into the realm of reality.
They alleged that she collected millions of naira from some people to produce two television programmes but diverted a part of the money, out of which she purchased a Murano SUV, which she has been cruising around town, while the soaps were never produced.
In fact, the grapevine also had it that the victims, who could not watch the actress toy with their money ‘cornered’ her and beat her black and blue.
As interesting as the story sounds, Franca Brown told Life and Beat that it is nothing but a pack of lies.
“It is just a bloody lie. I paid for my car since last year and I can’t remember anybody beating me up. I can’t say where the story is coming from, but it is so malicious. People now think I am a fraudster. I was so embarrassed to hear such a useless story.”
Brown maintained she could afford to buy a car on her own because “I earn a living. I am a producer and I act. Why should it be anybody’s business that I decided to change my car? You just don’t get up one morning and fabricate stories that are damaging to somebody’s career. It is just not fair.”
Franca Brown is one of the respected actors and producers in Nollywood. She has been in the movie industry since the days of Behind the Clouds.