People would judge you regardless of what you do or don’t do-Keira Hewatch, actress

‘I am not the characters I play’

Keira Hewatch, a Nigerian actor/entertainer  was born in Calabar, Cross River state but was  lucky to have grown up in different cities in Nigeria. She  moved around quite a bit and ended up spending time in Abuja, Uyo, Lagos, Minna, Port Harcourt and some other minor cities. She is the only child of her parents but by no means assume that she was a spoiled kid.  In this interview she told  adanneamos.blogspot.com her lifestyle and scripts she wouldn’t accept.

Tell us a bit more about yourself?

My mum is a teacher with the Nigerian Police Force and she was and still is a disciplinarian.  I was raised in a Godly and Christian home. I’m a worshipper (what others would call praise and worship leader in a Pentecostal church setting). I’m very aware of the creator’s existence. My dad is a pastor . Growing up, my mum hammered into me the absolute understanding that every human being is equal in God’s eyes and the unshakable belief in doing and being just right, remembering the one rule that should govern human behavior which is The Golden Rule.

Obviously, growing up in an environment like this meant learning responsibility at a very early age. Sometimes I would think I had not really been a kid, yet I wouldn’t trade my upbringing for anything because those were the years that shaped me into a person I have become; mentally, emotionally, spiritually and other wise.

What did you study?

I studied Travel and Tourism, Hospitality Management at the Graduate School of Management Studies, Spintex, Ghana. I hold a certificate. I learnt a lot of interesting things about hotels definitely!

When did you start acting?

I began my acting career in Ghana actually. Those were fun times. I found and joined an acting group. I think I made the connection at an audition. They would meet in  a building in a Community 1, Tema. We would have rehearsals and script readings and such. They were a wonderful bunch of people. I remember them with warmth and a lot of nostalgia. Anyway the director came up with this story of a girl called Rosa who couldn’t be with the boy she loved.  This was in 2005/2006.  I got to play Rosa and we eventually filmed a few scenes but I don’t know what ever became of it.

Did you know you would one day become a renowned actress?

I have always known what I wanted to do. Always. I think I grew up in a fairy’s world. What I mean by this is that I grew up surrounded by books. Lots and lots of books. Books with pictures about fairies and princesses and far off magical lands. I live to read, still do- and its easy for a child who loves to read to also love the television which I did and still do. So as you can imagine, I could watch it 24/7. When I was around five years of age, I saw  Sound Of Music for the first time and I fell in love with the silver screen, with the idea of being on it and telling stories.

Why?

Because I saw a five year old white little girl and I imagined that I could do what she was doing right then, that was it. Over the years I heard my friends in school change their minds about what they would like to be. Sometimes I played along, but I always knew I would be an actor one day.

If you weren’t an actress, what would you have opted for?

Ha! That’s a tough question. I would most likely be a hotel manager, I guess.

Name movies and soaps you have starred in?

 Kajola, Two Brides And A Baby, Murder At Prime Suites, Lies Men Tell, After The Proposal, Couple’s Game, Ruse, Blood Enemies, Lekki Wives 1,2,3 Disclosure 1,2,3 and quite a number of others.

Which of them is most challenging?

All my work challenges me in different ways. So, it depends on the sort of challenges we are talking about. Physically challenging, I would have to give it to Kajola and Murder At Prime Suites. People don’t realize that we have to continuously repeat actions until the perfect take is achieved. It’s hard work. Emotionally challenging would have to be Two Brides And A Baby and Couple’s Game including  something I just recently finished on.  It’s a project to create more awareness of child’s molestations. The film is called Alero’s Closet. It would be out soon.

What do you do to ensure that stardom doesn’t get into your head?

I just don’t bother about stardom. I certainly won’t let it get into my head. That’s a recipe for failure. I live my life to please only God and no one else because people would judge you regardless of what you do or don’t do. So, I let my heart speak to God and when He answers right back, I’m fine.

What really excites you about what you do as an actress?

The ease with which I can become a completely different person from who I truly am and yet still leave a little piece of me with them. I’m excited when I can get to tell a story, entertain people, make them question along with this person and relate to that character.

Are there roles you won’t accept?

Most definitely! Being an actor doesn’t mean I have to act everything. There are a lot of stories told that just don’t even make sense to me. I always read scripts sent to me and if I can’t understand the story off the paper, I won’t take the job. Let me use this opportunity to say that my work doesn’t reflect me.

What do you mean?

I am not the characters I play. For the fact that I take on the character of a nasty, morally, loose girl and I play her to perfection doesn’t mean that’s who I am. It only means I’m good at my job. That being said, I don’t believe in playing ‘morally compromising’ roles just for the fun of it. Others may be fine with it but for me personally, I always believe there should be consequences at the end of the day. Lastly, I would never go completely nude no matter the story.

Craziest thing a male fan has ever done to you?

Craziest? A guy stalked me from the Shoprite mail in Alausa to my home in Ogba.  At the time  he was accosted, he said he knew me and wanted to just know where I lived because he was a huge fan, they thought he was lying but then he started mentioning  names of the films and TV series I was in at the time. I was in shocked!