Femi Brainard is, no doubt, a popular face on the screen. A good looking actor, he has featured in many good movies and soaps. In this interview with FUNMI ELUGBAJU, he spoke about his person as an actor, his other side and why, for sometime, he has been off the scene. Excerpts:
You have been absent in the movie industry for a while. What have you been up to?
I was on sabbatical for a while and secondly I pick the films I do because not all stories are nice, so to speak. That aside, I am also into event management. So, if I’m not on screen I’m behind the camera somewhere.
What genre of movies do you prefer acting? Is it the Yoruba speaking or the English speaking?
I do more of Yoruba movies because of tribalism but filming is filming, English, Yoruba, French Portuguese. There was a time that a certain producer asked me to put an Igbo name to my name that he would help me with the Igbo marketers but I told him I couldn’t sell my birthright. He didn’t say it in a derogatory manner but he said it because he wanted me to progress more. To that person I said God bless him.
Your latest movie is out. Can you tell us what it’s about?
The title of the movie is Ashiri and it’s a movie directed by Daniel Ademinekan; Doris Simon’s husband. Femi Branch, Ronke Oshodi, myself and a host of others are in the film. I don’t want to say much about it but be on the look out. It was well acted and the scripts were properly translated, thanks to my mentor who taught me well.
How has the industry been treating you?
Good, bad, ugly, fine. It’s what you make out of it basically that you get back. At times you may give in so much and get so little; you may give in so little and get so much. It’s been nice; its been okay. I thank God.
What are your challenges in the industry?
I see every work as a challenge, I see every script as a challenge. My plight however is that we do not churn out internationally acclaimed film. We are used to box shots. Why is it called the movie, its because something must move. If you are not moving, the camera must move and if the camera is not moving you must. You shoot on film and then make it to a movie but the qualities of movies being churned out nowadays is very appalling. Out of ten films you have three or four good ones, the rest will be nothing to write home about. I wish producers will go back to the drawing board and get something done.
Have you ever regretted being an actor?
No. I have not regretted being an actor, if anything it opens so many doors for me. I have learn t a lot from my peers and also from my mentors. Take it or leave it, I have mended marriages, not me per se but Everyday People when it was being aired. It mended two marriages In satellite town and that I thank God for.
Have you ever been embarrassed before?
When I was in school, yes. But of recent no. My first major embarrassment was when I started doing guy. I just finished from primary school then, I walked out one day and I stepped on a pebble and then I tripped and fell in the gutter and I mean face flat in the gutter. The second embarrassment was somewhere in Ikotun where area boys mobbed me. I almost smashed one of their heads on my windscreen because that was what I was aiming for and they kept asking for money and more money. I took his hand and I kicked his jaw. That was embarrasing. If you push me to do stuffs I will.
How would you define a good actor?
A good actor is a good servant. He his someone that learns from his past and learns from his director and environment. A good actor is a person who sees himself as a vehicle to delivering certain aspect of life to the consumer which is the audience. A good actor is you.
Who are your friend in the industry?
Kids. My best friend in the industry are kids. Yes, I have the normal adult. I cherish kids more than my adult friends.
Who is your mentor in the industry?
Three people actually. One of them got me started in this job. His name is Barrister Tunde Bamishigbin. You may know him as Loco in Palace. The other one you will know by the tone of his voice, his name is Uncle Olu Jacobs and his wife Aunty Joke Silva. They are my mentors. I try to emulate their delivery, their style of acting, their persona if I can and to them I say thank you.
How do you handle love advances from female admirers?
It comes with the territory. I believe what you mean is how do I handle toasters. Thank you to my parents because they instilled discipline in me and my sister. Do not say because you are in a certain higher realm or position, you start posing. Accept whatever you are or wherever you are and deal with it and move on. I don’t know how to pose, I’m an old man.
Beyond acting what do you do?
I’m into event management. Not any kind of event, it depends. I don’t do weddings but I have people who do that. I can plan it for you. My idea of a wedding event may be crazy. If am to plan a wedding I won’t do it the normal way. I will copy someone. The wedding might be 8′ o clock in the evening. It depends on where you are or how much you have; I might have you as a bride flown in; I might have you there but nobody will know, you can come out through a cake. Creativity is event planning. When you are ready to marry let me know.
In the league of top Nigerian artistes how would you rate yourself?
You rate me. I wouldn’t want to say that. It is what you say that I will go with. If I say 2 you might say I’m better; if I say three you might say I’m cheaper. I will leave it to you to be the judge but I hold my own in acting.
What do you do for leisure?
If you want to catch me making a fool out of myself come to club T or Lacache.
Can you share your childhood memories?
My childhood days was fun, great and also educational. Then my grandmother, God rest her soul and my mother used to teach me English with the Queen Prima, that small brownish book. If I should miss a line I got a knock on my head. It is was when buses were 5 kobo from Bode Thomas to Yaba; when if you stand you won’t pay. That was when you can actually cook a pot of soup with N10. Yeah, I’m old. Now it is all high tech.
From your point of view, what do you think is the problem of the Nigerian movie industry?
Nigerian movie industry needs to go back to the drawing board. We need to emulate certain concepts of film making. We need to upgrade our sense and sensibilities about shooting films. We need to copy the best and have an open mind. It’s about time we started doing things right, not wrongly right if you get my drift, but we will get there someday.
How come you have not been involved in scandals?
I have had my fair share of scandals in the 90s. I will tell you that but I will also thank the media for publishing. I was dating an actor then, female and there was this lady also who wanted more than I could give. I guess I led her own but at a point I just told her that it’s better that we stop because I couldn’t do two, she got pissed off and almost got physical with the other lady but a big brother friend of ours called her to order. That was in 2000.
What do you think the government and the society at large can do to help the industry grow?
Positive projection of oneself, of what we do. It’s not every scandal that you blow out of proportion. A certain member of the press, this happened early this year. Lower caption: Femi Brainard finds love in Commonwealth queen, Sokari Briggs. I know Sokari, she is a close friend of mine. A family friend. This journalist said I granted him a one on one interview, that we spoke about it and he saw us together. Only for me to be introduced to this same journalist. Are you the same person? He said, yes. Can you please tell me when I granted you an interview, he said don’t worry. It’s just a propanganda.
What message do you have for your fans?
Please do not do drugs, never let go of your dream. It might take a while, it may take forever but it will surely come to pass. Never let go of your dream. Also, in any thing that you do always thank God.