Rex Nosa: YouTube has also turned many of us into enemies

Some years back, you were referred to as one of the Asaba-based actors, but that’s not the case now. How were you able to rebrand yourself to become a national brand?

Thank you. The truth of the matter is that whatever you’re doing, you must always have a goal. You must have foresight about where you want to go. Back then, I saw Asaba as a location where I needed to build a foundation for what I was about to do. Everybody I looked up to, all my predecessors, started with the kind of movies made in Asaba, which I call grassroots movies. Some started in Asaba, while others started in Enugu, even when they were living in Lagos. They were making those kinds of movies because, at the time, the industry was controlled by marketers. Do you understand? People didn’t even know I was born and raised in Lagos. I did my primary and secondary education there. It was work that took me to Asaba after I graduated from Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma. I went there because of movies. Even while I was living in Asaba, I had already told myself that I needed to build a solid foundation in the industry and eventually move back to Lagos. Everything I did was intentional. I was planning and positioning myself for what I wanted to achieve. I knew there was a time for everything: a time to evolve and a time to move. I simply moved with the trend. I think that’s exactly how I did it.

Quite a number of people do not know that you studied Mechanical Engineering. At what point did acting come into your life?

I would say acting became a career for me after I graduated. But the truth is that I believe everything in life is arranged. Right from childhood, I had always acted in church, although I never knew I would eventually become an actor. I participated in church dramas, led songs during services, and played the drums. I’m a drummer boy, by the way. I was always at the forefront of anything that involved entertaining people in my church. That was where I acted, and I simply enjoyed doing it. I still remember that when we performed children’s dramas, I would finish acting and tell someone, “Interview me! Interview me! Ask me questions. Make me feel like a star!” Looking back now, I can see that the signs were there even when I was very young. However, acting became a career for me after graduation. When I was in my 300 level, I did my industrial training in Asaba. I saw actors everywhere and wondered what they were doing there. Everywhere I went, I kept seeing people like Uncle Ruge, Jimmy and Mike. I began to think that after graduation, I would like to live in a town where I could see actors regularly. That was how I moved to Asaba after graduation. When I got there, I met many actors. One day, I saw people conducting auditions and expressed interest in participating. They told me I could not audition because I was not a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN). I asked what AGN meant, and they explained that it was the Actors Guild of Nigeria. I asked what I needed to do, and they told me to register. I went to an ATM at a GTBank branch opposite the location, withdrew the money and paid for my registration. They gave me a temporary membership card, and that was how I went for the audition. After the audition, I left. One day, while I was sleeping, my phone rang. The caller told me I had been selected. I was surprised. That was how I got my first opportunity. At the time, they used to paste the names of successful candidates on the wall. Everything I know about acting, I learnt on the job. I remember my first take. I thought I had finished and was about to leave when they called me back and asked where I was going. I told them I had finished shooting, but they explained that what we had done was the master shot and that they still needed to shoot the close-up (CU). They told me to come back because I knew nothing about the technical process of acting at the time. That was how my journey began in 2010.

You featured in Funke Akindele’s popular sitcom, ‘Jenifa’s Diary.’ How did you get that role?

While I was in Asaba, shooting movies in the East, I had always been friends with Funke Akindele because she regularly came to the East to shoot. So I knew Funke even before Jenifa’s Diary. As a matter of fact, I was working on a movie with her one day in Awka. A writer came to visit us on set. I think his name was Martin, if I’m not mistaken, but I stand to be corrected. While we were shooting, I noticed that whenever there was a break, he and Funke would sit together and write something. I asked her what she was doing, and she told me she was writing a series called Jenifa’s Diary. That was how I found out about it. When she returned to Lagos and started shooting the series, she would call me and say, “I have a role for you.” But I was always busy shooting in the East. She called me during the first and second seasons, and again during the third season. I think I eventually joined around the seventh season. By then, Jenifa’s Diary had become very popular and was attracting a lot of attention. I knew I needed to establish myself in Lagos as well. I wanted to do something different and give people the opportunity to see me in another light. If you noticed, the character I played in Jenifa’s Diary was a calm, responsible husband. At the time, Africa Magic had different kinds of productions, including epic and urban movies. If about 80 per cent of the movies I featured in were epic films, I needed something different. I have always wanted to be everywhere. I wanted people to see my work across different platforms without saying I was too associated with one type of movie. For me, Jenifa’s Diary was a blessing because it gave me the opportunity to introduce myself to the Lagos audience in a different way. I was travelling all the way from Asaba to Lagos to shoot the series. Shout-out to Funke Akindele. She really helped me because some people might have decided not to work with me simply because I was far away. Whenever I was given a call time of 8 or 9 a.m., Funke might assume I was already in Lagos. Meanwhile, I would leave Asaba at about 4 a.m. and arrive at the location in Lagos around 8 a.m. I would have breakfast with everyone on set, and she would ask, “Are you still in Lagos?” I would say yes, even though I had only arrived that morning. I needed to make the commitment. That was the sacrifice I made.

One experience I will never forget was when I came to Lagos to shoot Jenifa’s Diary. After filming, I was already on my way back to Asaba when they called to tell me there had been an error with what we had shot. I had to turn around, return to Lagos, shoot again and then travel back to Asaba. That was how my journey with Jenifa’s Diary began. I knew Funke before the series, and when she called me to join the production, I was happy to do it.

I remember the days when Asaba movies were released on DVD and how busy everyone was. Actors were making a lot of money at the time. I remember coming to spend a week in Asaba because I wanted to understand what was happening in the industry. Now, almost everybody is on YouTube.

Do you think the transition from CDs to Cinemas and now streaming platforms like YouTube has affected actors in terms of remuneration?

Yes, because YouTube has become an industry where everyone is largely on their own. Back then, marketers controlled the industry. They decided what they wanted, and they financed productions. We had many marketers and movies coming out from different places across Nigeria, including Asaba and other locations. There was a lot of activity, and actors were shooting movies back-to-back. You cannot really compare that period with what we have now. Things have changed because almost everybody is doing YouTube, and nobody really controls the platform. Now, you have to invest your own money in your productions, and there is no guarantee that you will recover your investment. In the past, you had investors who came in and provided the money needed to make movies. So, of course, there have been a lot of changes.

I’m curious because I’ve noticed that you have your own YouTube channel where you produce and upload films. At the same time, you are quite visible in other people’s productions on YouTube. For instance, I recently watched a production in which you featured alongside Nkechi Blessing, playing her husband. I can’t remember the title, but it was produced by Peggy Ovire.

Yes, Monday Trouble. How do you balance all these commitments?

You need to give your own channel and productions your full attention, but you also accept roles in other people’s productions, which are sometimes on the same YouTube platform. In a way, you could be considered competitors.

How do you factor that into your decisions while still giving your best to other people’s projects?

I always remember that we all need one another. We are in a business where nobody knows what tomorrow will bring. I am not one of those people who believe you should work only for yourself. I could decide to focus exclusively on my own productions, make more money and give all my attention to my channel, but what happens tomorrow? I don’t believe you can remain in one position forever. Working with other people allows me to spread my craft and build relationships. Some of these people are also my friends. Tomorrow, the situation might change. Someone else might become more successful, and I might need that person’s collaboration to revive a project that is not performing as well as expected. For me, it is about supporting one another and exchanging energy. YouTube has also turned many of us into enemies in some ways. Some people no longer answer one another’s calls, and we hardly hang out or spend time together. Things have changed because when your phone rings, you might assume someone is calling to ask you for something, especially when you are busy trying to build your own channel. Balancing everything is very difficult for me because I travel between Nigeria and London frequently. If I have two months available to work on my own projects and someone else calls me to feature in their production, I have to find a way to manage both commitments. It is a lot, but I try to organise my schedule. When I come around, I might work with three or four people before leaving again. It is not easy, but I find a way to balance everything. Of course, I now pay more attention to my own projects, but I still believe in working with others.

I have been married since 2015, so it’s 11 years this year, and I have children.

Is that why you travel between Nigeria and London?

How do you cope? The entertainment industry is often associated with partying, women and romantic relationships. Over the years, I’ve also noticed that you’ve managed to steer clear of controversies and scandals. How have you been able to manage that?

First of all, I want to thank God. I also want to give a big shout-out to my wife. God has blessed me with a wonderful woman to call my wife. The truth is that when my wife and I started our relationship, I told her something. I said I had noticed that, at the time, married people in the industry did not seem to go very far in their careers. I’m talking about back then, not now. People had this attitude that once you got married, your career would suffer. So I told my wife that if that was true, she needed to allow me to be free. I assured her that I would not misbehave, but I wanted to enjoy the same freedom as my colleagues. If they were travelling, I wanted to travel. If they were hanging out, I wanted to hang out. I did not want marriage to limit my career. For example, if we went to a club and my single colleagues returned home at 5 a.m., I would return by 3 a.m. I just wanted the freedom to do my job without feeling that marriage was holding me back. In essence, I have a very supportive wife. There is nothing I do in the industry that I do not tell her.

Absolutely nothing. Anything you see about me online has my wife’s approval. Our bond is so strong that I sometimes send her pictures and ask her to check them before I post them. I know that might sound funny, but that is the kind of relationship we have built over the years. It helps me because marriage has no manual. What works for one person might not work for another. This works for me because my wife wants to be informed and understand what I do. I often tell people that some of the content they see online was actually recorded by my wife. People ask why she would record such content, and I tell them it is because she knows what I am doing.

At the end of the day, my wife is the person my decisions directly concern. Once I have her approval, I am comfortable. That is how I have managed things over the years. I also try not to take her support for granted or push things too far. She gives me freedom, and I do not want to abuse it. I make sure I carry her along. That is why many of the women I consider my friends also have some form of relationship or contact with my wife. It is one of the ways I make her feel comfortable.

I was going to ask you about some of your content, which can be quite sensual. Some people find it attractive, others find it funny, while some frown upon it. You have already explained that your wife is comfortable with it and even records some of the content. What inspired you to take that route? If I am not mistaken, that was where you earned the name Baba Rex.

No, that was where I earned the name Mr Cum.

First of all, Baba Rex has been my nickname since I was very young. My friends used to call me Rex or Baba Rex, and that was how the name came about. As for the sensual content, I realised that these were things I naturally did for fun behind the camera. Whenever I did them, my friends would laugh. I also needed to differentiate myself and stand out from the crowd. We have so many talented actors in the industry. Some have six-packs, some have good looks, attractive lips and great bodies. There are many things that make people talented and attractive, but I wanted something that would make people recognise me immediately. I wanted people to look at a group of actors and say, “They are all actors, but this particular person is different.” I did not want to be known only as an actor. I wanted to create a unique identity for myself. When I started making that kind of content, I knew some people would frown upon it. But I am not doing it to attract women. I already have a wife, as I said earlier. I genuinely enjoy making the content for fun. Many of the expressions I use are words I created myself. I needed expressions that could work across different platforms and pass through their algorithms. Words and phrases such as “Mele Mele,” “Good Good” and “Mr. Com” became part of that identity.

The truth is that people already understand the things I am referring to. Sometimes, they are simply waiting for someone to say them openly. So I decided to become that messenger. If we are discussing certain things and nobody wants to say them, people will associate that kind of content with Baba Rex. I believe that is what separates me from the crowd. Since then, I have remained consistent with it.

Sometimes it works well, and sometimes it does not. But as long as it pays my bills, I am comfortable with what I do.

You have played different roles, including a robber, a responsible husband and an armed robber. What role are you still hoping to play? What kind of project would excite you when a producer calls and offers it to you?

I would love to work on a major project that allows audiences around the world to see another side of me. I would love to play twins, with each character having a different personality, mannerism and way of behaving. I want people to see the other side of my talent. Some people knew me when I started playing calm characters, while others discovered me through comedy. Some people do not even believe I can play a serious character, such as a responsible husband, without trying to be funny. They have already stereotyped me in their minds. I would love an opportunity to work on a project where I could play as many as twelve different characters. Imagine people watching the film and being surprised by how differently I portray each character. However, I might not want to do that immediately because I also have to consider the business side of my career. Comedy is currently bringing in money, and I have to balance my creative ambitions with what works commercially. But if a producer calls me and says, “Let’s do something different. I want you to play twins with distinct personalities and mannerisms,” I would be excited to take on the challenge.

What are your current projects? Which of your films should they look out for?

I know you recently released a film with the ‘beautiful Tara Matu,’ one of my favourite actresses at the moment.

Yes, Tara is a fantastic actress. We recently worked together on a film titled ‘Couple in Power.’ Everybody should go and watch it. It is an amazing film, and I believe people will enjoy it. Whenever Tara and I work together, the result is always exciting. So, please look out for ‘Couple in Power.’ I am looking forward to seeing the audience’s response.

Many young actors enter the industry hoping to become successful. As someone who has spent more than a decade in the industry, what advice would you give a young actor who is just starting and hopes to achieve as much as you have?

First, I would tell them to remain strong and believe in themselves. I would also advise them not to hold back. Some people are always worried about what others will think, and some do not even know how to use their social media platforms. If you want to become an actor, people should be able to visit your page and see what you can do. Record yourself, create interesting content, do things that showcase your talent, post them online and tag producers so they can discover you. You have to sell yourself because nobody will do it for you. That was how I started Babarex. Nobody was giving me comedy roles, so I decided to create that opportunity for myself. I started making comedy content to prove to the world that I could do it.

My advice to everyone is simple: do not hold back. Leave your comfort zone. If your friends are holding you back, distance yourself from them. Do not surround yourself with people who discourage you or kill your dreams. Believe in yourself, go after what you want and work towards achieving it. Surround yourself with the right people, and the rest will follow. There is so much talent in people. Whatever you know how to do, bring it out, and let the world see it.

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