Monday 26 March 2012

I will marry when the time is right - Susan Peters


Susan Peters is one of the most talented actresses in Nollywood. She hardly does interviews, but she recently spoke with yours truly. The big arguments we had was her age. A woman does not like to divulge their age, but what do you do when her date of birth is glaringly on Wikipedia. The actress is charming and very smart. Here is the question and answer session
You bear the same name with one of the best Hollywood actress that ever lived; do you try to emulate her sometimes?
It’s just a coincidence. I emulate no one, I am me and I act me.
Some even think you changed your name to hers
No, never. That has been my name ever since. I would have used my middle name too but they always spelt it wrongly so i stuck with Susan Peters. Why would I want to change my name?
 Is it true you grew up in a large family?
Well, Susan Peters is an average Nigerian girl from an average home. I am from a family of eight. We were actually 11 but we lost three. I am the third child with five younger siblings. They live in Kaduna. My dad is a retiree from the Nigerian Air Force and my mum is a housewife.


What was it like growing up in the midst of seven siblings?
There was the good, the bad and the ugly. My dad used to be very rich when he was in the Air Force. Then, there was no family problem, you know. It’s not as if he’s poor now, he’s okay; but then, it was like we were living big. We didn’t lack anything; even the house help we had then really enjoyed. You don’t drink garri in my house. If my dad caught you drinking it, it’s a problem so you can imagine the kind of upbringing that I had.
It got to a point that he lost everything and there was no help from anyone because my dad was the strict type. We didn’t receive visitors; not even the female ones, so we ended up not knowing most of our uncles and aunties. When we had problems, there was nobody to run to, most people thought we couldn’t make it but I thank God today. My sister is in the Air Force and she’s a Captain now. My elder brother works with a communication company and I’m an actress. The others are equally doing well.
This year will mark 10 years you got into Nollywood. You have made a name for yourself in just a brief time. how will you describe your experience in the movies?
Some were challenging and some were not. Most times the set is fun and my colleagues they make the job worthwhile with their jokes et al aside from work.
Prior to Nollywood, what were you doing?
I owned and still own a salon and a boutique called Suez place. Located at Benue Plaza Kaduna, I opened the shop before I joined the industry Nollywood. I Ran the shop by myself and my workers for 2 years before i started acting.
 Is it true you wanted to become an air-hostess?
Yes, I love it when I see the British Airways cabin crew in their mini-skirts and so I thought this could be the job for me. I went for an interview at Chanchangi Airlines in Kaduna and I got the job and was supposed to come to Lagos for a course. After a while, they called that we had to sponsor ourselves but my dad was broke then so I couldn’t actualise my dream.
I then decided to start buying and selling clothes. I would go to Cotonou to buy women’s stuff and it was selling like hot cake and I said to myself ‘why don’t you just get a shop and start from there?’ I got one at Benue Plaza, Kaduna, the space was so big that I decided to partition it on one side to accommodate a salon and boutique. I have both now and it’s called Sue’s Place.
When did acting creep in?
One day, a group of artistes came to my shop when they wanted a place to act. The guy told me to fill a gap where I was just going to mime. They didn’t even pay me but they gave credit to the shop. He later told me that I did well and should pursue a career in acting. There’s an Acting School in Kaduna called ‘VideioWave’. There, I did a course in Stage and Film, it was quite difficult. There was a particular lecturer that would always say ‘Susan, you can’t graduate, you can’t be a good actor, you have nothing up there.’ I said to myself that I had something to offer. So, we had exams and they invited lecturers from Zaria and I came out the best overall female with a distinction, I was shocked.
Were parents supportive?
My parents were very supportive, they said if that’s what i wanted I should go ahead, and they gave their blessings
What would you describe as challenges when you were starting off as a young actress?
Not having to know a lot of people at that time, you have to go through auditions or recommendations to get a job
It’s a bit easy now because people now know the face, so struggling like before is reduced. Also, I have worked with hardworking producers and directors and colleagues so once in a while they always remember me and I am grateful to them all.
Some pictures of you dressing sexily was spread on the internet some months back, is that part of your rebranding?
Not really, I took those pictures for a casting in L.A which I am still waiting for. I also used it to launch my website officially www.susanpetersonline.com
What about the picture of you flaunting a half a million Naira phone?
 It’s not a new thing that I love gadgets. Those who know me can tell the story. I love gadgets and I go for them when they come out almost immediately. I was not flaunting.  The picture wasn’t supposed to spread like wild fire. But i guess it did.
When actors get to the stage you have reached, they tend to produce their own movies, when are we going to see a Susan Peters production?
Yes Gods willing I will do mine soon
You are one of the few actors that stood up for Enebeli, don’t you think it’s a shame that many actors live as heroes and die helpless
That’s because most actors are solely dependent on acting. I for example do a whole lot. I have Agboyi ventures for contract jobs, I do makeovers, I am an interior decorator, I model and then of course, acting. So you see, am jack of all trades as long as it brings decent money. I think people should have more than one handiwork if you can so when the going gets tough the tough gets going
 You are also involved in asthma awareness campaign, why did you choose that field to give back to? 
That is because I suffered from asthma while growing up. Childhood asthma is worse for children, so I decided to give back in my own little way to the society by creating awareness.
What’s the most challenging role you’ve played?
That would be a character I played in Sound of poverty. The film was about four girls from a poor background and one of us had the opportunity to make it. She was actually supposed to share her fortune with everyone else but she was rubbing it in. It’s a story about everyday life in the slum. You just keep telling yourself that you don’t want to go through poverty. The role gave me an inner strength that I have to make it in life.
You rarely speak about your relationships, are you in one at the moment?
My relationship is private, when i need to make it official of course you all will know.
You are 32 this year, many would consider that a ripe age for marriage, are we to expect that soon, especially now that it is becoming a trend amongst actresses?
That is why most people get married for the wrong reasons, pressure from family or peer group. Well, have got nothing of that such, when the time is right the bells will ring. No rush for me at all. I am still very young and a lot of people say I don’t look my age.
Will you consider yourself rich?
With Gods grace by my side i will say yes. Being successful is never enough and that’s why  people never get tired of working. being successful for me is God by your side, humility and hard work.
What’s Susan working on at the moment
I have jobs piled up,hopefully i be working in Asaba.  I just finished on set in Ikorodu and just got back. I lost my uncle last week Sunday so which has made me shift my trips for now until after the burial.
You have a beautiful dark skin, many actresses quickly get themselves fair when they acquire fame. Do you ever consider toning your skin?
Black is beautiful. You can never buy that. I have never considered toning.i love my skin tone and people always walk up to me to ask what kind of creme or soap I use. It is dettol and Jergens for me any day.
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