“My first sexual experience was horrible” – Nollywood actress, Laide Bakare

In a recent with the Sun Newspapers, popular actress Laide Bakare, talked about how her parents tried to stop her from becoming a screen star, her rise to fame, her sex life and what exists between her and 9ice.

Excerpts from the interview:

What have you being doing lately?

I just made a multi-million naira movie. The movie is entitled, Jejere and it features 9ice who played a major role including talented actors like Emeka Ike, Akin Lewis, and Fathia Balogun among others. It has really taken a lot of my energy because it is not just about me but basically about being a business woman and entrepreneur, someone that invested so much in a production company called, Simline Records. The company is borne out of my love for music and the arts. My interest is solely to help identify, grow and support talented youths.

What’s the main focus of your movie, Jejere?

Simline is putting together a world-class event to officially unveil and present these projects. The event tagged: “The Laide Bakare Experience” will witness the premiere of the movie, “Jerere” and official presentation of my record label and its artistes. The event would be rounded off with a concert that will feature performances by King Wasiu Ayinnde, T-code and 9ice among others. It will take place at Orchid Hotel, Lekki, Lagos on Sunday January 13, 2013. When you make a good movie and interpret it, it doesn’t matter the language. I went extra length to make a good quality movie, which talks about bad leadership, discrimination against women, love and culture. The movie will be in major cinemas from this month.

At what time did you decide to be a filmmaker?

It has always been my passion to be a filmmaker. My coming into the movie industry actually started from the idea of me being a filmmaker and a business woman. Though, I have been carried away with acting, I knew that deep inside me I will make good movies one day. So, when the time came, I gave it full attention. That’s exactly what I am doing now though, I produced my first movie in my second year at the university. So far I have done about 12 movies. I am never in a hurry to make movies. I do movies that will impact society positively.

How did you venture into movie industry?

I never planned to go into acting. At a point I thought about going into politics, but I don’t like Nigerian politics. My father owns a hotel and movie people used to come and shoot in the hotel. So, anytime they needed help, I was the one providing it for them. Among my father`s children, I was the only one that was assisting them. Then, I was a teenager, about 16 years old and was about to go to University of Ibadan to study Theatre Arts, most of them encouraged me to start acting while I was still in school.
How did your parents feel when you wanted to join tbe movie industry, did they object?

My parents never objected to my acting career. In fact, they supported my very first production. I remember my mum cooked for me on location.

At the time, I was in school and my father had bought a camera for me to produce my movie. My dad has been supporting the movie industry for a long time. I will say from day one, my dad and mum had been there for me. They stood by me even when some actors were trying to look down on me because they thought that making movie is only for old people, but my parents encouraged me. Today, a lot of actresses have learnt from me to take bold steps.

Tell us about your background?

My dad is from Ibadan, Oyo State and my mum is from Oshogbo in Osun State. I grew up here in Lagos and my father owns a hotel and construction company. I graduated from University of Ibadan.

What was your growing up like?

My growing up was very interesting because we have one boy and some females. We have always been popular in our area because our street is named after my father, that is Bakare Street. So, people in the community used to call us Bakare girls. While growing up within the neighborhood, I have always been popular but sometimes I would just pretend I didn’t know.
What is your relationship with 9ice
9ice acted a major role in the movie, Jejere. I am surprised because I don’t know what prompted the story that 9ice and I are dating. Some people like to create something out of nothing. There is nothing of such between us. We are just friends. I am too big for that kind of rumour.

Do you have any plan to produce English movies ?

I can make English movies. I am a movie maker, it doesn’t matter what genre of movie. I have an English movie that I am working on, and very soon we would produce it.

What is the craziest thing a fan has done to you?

They said I am a short woman. But I am not short. As a matter of fact, my stature doesn’t stop me from being who I am. But it can be embarrassing sometimes.

How long have you been married?

Yes, I am married for so long. I don’t like discussing my family, that’s my private life. I have one kid. But I don’t want to talk about that.

How do you strike balance between your job and the home front?

It is God. I won`t talk about my family because that’s what I so much cherish. I so much treasure my daughter and my husband. I treasure them a lot. I avoid anything that will affect them. I don’t want to have problem with my family. I don’t want to put them in the public eye. I would rather keep it to myself.

Most men would like to date a pretty lady like you. How do you handle stubborn male admirers?

Most of them know that I am married. Even if they are crazy about me, they should know that I am married. Actually, there is nothing to talk about them. I don’t like talking about man or woman affairs. It’s one thing I don’t really like to talk about.

What challenges do you encounter as an actress?

The only time I had challenges was when I was in the university. It was not easy struggling with education and work. Struggling with my education and the birth of my baby was also a challenge. At a time, I needed to leave school to go and have my baby so, all those things were challenging. I had to travel out of the country to meet my husband and then come back. I was always going out and coming in.

How do you cope since your husband is based abroad?

We always keep in touch. We travel to meet him over there and he also comes home to be with us. That’s how we have been coping. We are here today, we are in America tomorrow. But it has been fun. We create time for work, either his work or my own work. It might not work for other families but it works for us.

Can you fight over love?

I believe in love but not to the extent of fighting or committing suicide or even killing someone over it because life must go on. I don’t believe that love is blind. I believe in love but you have to open your eyes widely to see it.
Is there any part of your body you cannot expose no matter the offer?
Yes, of course, my private part. I have to keep it, I can`t expose it. But I can expose my back and legs. I can expose the whole of my back. That’s all.

Your husband wouldn’t feel bad about exposing any part of your body?

No, he can`t feel bad. He loves what I am doing as an actress. He encourages me and he wants me to do more.

How did you feel about your first kiss on screen?

I cannot remember it because it was not memorable. It was a long time and it was not passionate.

When did you start having sex?

I didn’t start having sex at early age. It took me a very long time even though it was something I had always been looking forward to. I looked up to it almost three years before I eventually had sex. It wasn’t a nice experience with my first boyfriend. We dated for six years and we had sex after four years of our relationship. I was 18 when I met my first boyfriend. I was still a virgin then, even while in the movie industry for close to three years. I think the first time I had sex I was about 21 years old. It was what I had been looking forward to, but it wasn`t a nice experience.

What makes a good actress?

It’s the ability to interprete all the roles given, any role at all.
Would you allow your daughter to go into movies?

No. I don’t like it, may be, something else but definitely not the movie industry. I don’t know why I don’t want to involve my daughter in that line. It is not easy handling things and all that. I love my daughter to be popular, but probably in other profession not in the movie industry.