There’s more sexual abuse in the banks than in Nollywood— Bayray Mcnwizu

Eberechukwu Nwizu known as Bayray Mcwinzu started her
journey in the movie industry after winning the third edition
of the Amstel Malta Box Office in 2007. She was able to
hold her own until an experience put her off the scene.
But Bayray is back,
displaying versatility and
unconventional role
interpretations. In this
interview she tells her
story of defeat and
triumph and many more
How has the journey
been so far for you and
why were you off the
scene for some time?
I had to attend to some
personal issues. Besides
that, I took two years off
and came back late
last year. Funny enough, the first film I did just got a
ZAFAA UK nomination. With that, God has wiped away my
tears.
What tears?
Tears of not working for a while. Not working for some time
got to me emotionally down. Anyone who knows me
knows I am passionate about what I do. Acting is my life.
Before I won AMBO, I worked for at least ten years with my
mother. I started off on this job at the age of twelve. Even
as a young person, I knew I wanted to be an actress, I
knew I wanted to be on stage.
But as a child I was helping my mum out. She was a
barrister and owned a law firm. Looking back now, I am
glad I went through all that because it has given me a
business edge. All those tears were not wasted they were
tears for the future to come.
How did your growing up contribute to what you are doing
now?
For me, I am grateful to God for my late mother because she
was the one who was always telling me to believe in myself
no matter what. She was the one that kept telling me that
looking good is always good business.
She told me if I maintained my good looks it would bring
me nothing but something good. Hearing those words
motivated me to take on the world. Her words encouraged
me. As a young girl, I didn’t have to depend on a man for
money. It’s important to me as a woman to hone my craft
and be an asset to the society
Would you say the Nollywood of today and actors of this
generation are purpose-driven?
I cannot speak for them but one has to be purpose- driven.
It is said that by a man’s actions you can tell what is in his
heart. Looking at any actor you can know if they are
purpose-driven by their actions. My business is not to busy
myself with what someone else is doing.
For Nollywood, I think we are not there yet, but we are
rapidly getting there. Look at the AGN under the leadership
of Ibinabo Fibresima.
Now, I hear of producers and actors who under AGN
leadership have been awarded scholarships to go abroad to
study. I also hear of the government supporting the AGN .I
think  its purpose driven. Now, we have insurance. We want
the world to associate themselves with Nigerian movies. We
are rapidly getting there.
What is your most challenging movie role?
I will say the stage played in Lion and the Jewel written by
Wole Soyinka.  I played Sidi, an eighteen year old girl. My
role in Tales Of Eve was also challenging; I had to switch
from playing the role of a 13-year old to that of a 37 year-
old lady. In addition, a film I just did where I had to play a
woman who is completely frigid, who doesn’t smile and her
back is completely straight.
That is another challenging movie role I had to play. After
playing that role I had backache for a long time. As an actor
if you take your business serious you must exercise
frequently to keep in shape or else there are rolea you
wouldn’t be able to fill. It’s quite challenging. I don’t blame
some Hollywood actors who, after doing a very intense film,
commit suicide.
As an actor, after doing a job you have to learn to
relax, separate yourself from the character  and become
yourself. You have to make sure you don’t lose your true
identity. Most of the roles I have played are intense and I
hope they come off as entertaining.
Do you subscribe to the injection of soft porn in our
movies?
I will answer that question like this; for me as a future film
maker a film has to have a meaning, it must have a
message that it’s trying to convey to the society.
Infusing soft porn just for the sake of soft porn is wrong;
it has to have a true connection with the storyline.
Can you engage in such?
I am not sure I can say I endorse such because if I say that
I will be giving a lot of people wrong ideas. Most people are
looking up to me and listening to what I am saying.
I will not endorse it but I am also a realistic person; it
depends on the storyline. There are some things that are
expected of a particular scene.
You cannot afford to run away from it .If I am not
comfortable with a scene I tell my directors. I have always
had a very cordial relationship with my directors.
That‘s the thing about having formal education as an actor.
There are different kinds of kisses. There is the ‘In love’
kiss, there is the ‘I cannot do without you’ kiss. When you
are filming and your tongue comes out the director is
showing the viewers something very sexual.
What attribute makes you special as an actress?
I am a confident woman and I do believe I am beautiful. I
am blessed and I do not shy away from that. I am aware of
my beauty and the effect it has on men. I try not to make it
a defining thing in my life though. I love my body .
Some people know they are beautiful and they use it as a
tool to get what they want. When a woman is not confident
of herself whether she is fleshy or skinny it will come off in
her actions. I am just comfortable in my skin.
Have you ever been a victim of sex for roles?
It’s called Casting couch. Of course, I have been
approached; I have been asked this question and I have
said ‘no’ because I never engaged in it. But the offers have
come up.
How does it happen?
It happens the same way a man tells a woman “I like you; I
will like to take care of you”. It’s the same thing. This one
is not wooing though, they want to collect something in
exchange for something .It happens everywhere even in the
banking industry.
After working with Mr Obi Emelonye on his crime series
Calabash which is about the craziness of the banking
industry, I discovered that the movie industry does not even
come close in sexual harassment in comparison to what
happens in the bank industry.
But because we are in the open and on screens people see
us more and adjudge us the worst. The person that is seen
often takes the blame whereas everybody does it. It’s more
rampant in other industries. Yes, it happens. Directors have
tried to come to me and made such moves.
It’s been said that sex sells in entertainment, do you think it
should be a major marketing strategy?
No, it shouldn’t be. I believe for everything that somebody
can do there are always an alternative .Like the Indian
movies of those days. They never engaged in lips touching
but you would find intimacy in their movies.
That for me is genius. For you to have engaged in such a
scene without actually making it look like a gritty sexual
scene is pure genius. For me, it doesn’t have to be a major
strategy .Yes, these days everybody is half nude or naked.
Obviously, when you look at Lady Gaga and Nicki Minaj
they hardly have clothes on and they get a lot of viewers
and you wonder why their society accepts that. It is their
society; it is the way they were raised.
When you raise a child, making her believe that the only
way she could get things done or be successful in
entertainment is to show off her body or to have the right
size of boobs; what do you expect? No one wants to be
cerebral anymore, they all want to be sexy and that affects
the society.

Can you go naked in a movie?
I will be very uncomfortable. I am a very confident lady,
even as I am right now; I only undress in front of those
close to me, especially the female folks. I am a very shy
person. It will take a lot for me to even undress in front of a
person let alone a room full of directors, cameramen, people
I don t know. I will be uncomfortable. I am not certain I will
be able to do it.

What is the craziest thing you have heard about yourself?
The craziest thing was that I was in church one day and I
got a tweet that read that I have abandoned acting for
jewelry-making and I think my error was that I didn’t have
my publicist send out a report to say that it was not true.
After a while people started to believe that, and thought I
had left the scene. It hurt but thank God I am back and
better. That is the craziest thing I have ever heard about
myself. I will never abandon acting

Posted by Donatus Joshua at 18:38