I never envisaged that this year 2020 would be like this-Leelee Byoma, actress

• Leelee  Byoma

Leelee Byoma does a whole lot. In fact, her hands are full to the brim. It won't be wrong to say that she is solidly into showbiz and that's  her comfort zone. She was born and raised  in Kaduna but she is based in  Lagos where she considers as her safe haven though she is not good in Yoruba language. In this interview with ADAEZE AMOS, she talks about her lifestyle and her acting career
You are an actress and a movie producer. How do you juggle these together? Do you also feature in movies you produce?
Let me also add that I am  a writer and a one-time Director. I was born and bred in Kaduna,  but I have managed to make Lagos my home. Although I still can’t speak Yoruba language and it’s embarrassing when you consider that I’ve been here for nine years, but language barrier  hasn’t limited me in any way.
Can you define your style?
My style is versatile. I don't have a steady look or predictable  appearance. That is why my hair has a different colour every time you see me and even if I get bald, I’d probably just colour my scalp. I’m  creative, I’m multifaceted, and I’m constantly evolving. There’s no knowing what aspect of me you’re going to get at any point in time.

• Gorgeous!  

How do you combine acting, movie production, directing and writing together without any clashing?
  I juggle them easily. My preference is to focus on one thing at any given time. Do I always succeed? No!  Projects have a way of clashing sometimes, but I show up and do what I have to. In 2019, I was in Washington DC for a stage play titled  The Chibok Girls; Our Story and I had a producer breathing down my neck, virtually, for his script. So, I would be in rehearsal all day, got back to my Air BnB at night and get to writing the script till dawn.  Had a couple hours of sleep and it’s back to rehearsal. It was hell of stress for me but it had to be done. I have tried featuring  in my own productions a couple of times and it was too much of a hassle. When I played back the tapes, I looked like I could need a decade of sleep. Going forward, I’ll probably act in my productions if I feel like I have a point to prove or something and even then, I’ll be sure to hire a couple more producers to ease the burden.
Which very movie shot you to the limelight?
 The movie that shot me to stardom would be the one where I was entangled in a love triangle between Ryan Gosling and Chris Hemsworth, and they had to duel for a chance to get in my bed. (Giggled )
So, to really answer your question, I think people connect with me on different levels and from various movies or TV shows.  Mothers who have battled Post-par tum depression always long to watch  my movie which is titled  When Blues Are Red. 
 People in the states reached out at the time when  Knocking On Heaven’s Door another movie I featured in which was on Netflix in the US. And I don’t know where else, people who binge-watch Youtube videos have recently discovered  She Drives Me Nuts and they messaged me directly about the movie.
 Will it be possible to produce a movie while strictly maintaining social distancing ? If yes, how?
 I think it’s an opportunity to work with a small team and not be labeled cheap but safety-conscious. It would therefore be upon me as a producer  to create stories that require a small team. Crowd scenes might now require a green screen where actors come in one at a time but that will be ridiculously expensive. So,  I’d much rather focus on intriguing and appealing stories that I can tell with the smallest possible team.  I’m a believer in the possibility of all things so, yes it is possible to produce a movie while strictly maintaining social distancing! Thankfully, there’s more than one way to express any given emotion or pass any message across whereby  actors may not  have to touch. The entire team will have to strategize and make it happen even if it means  actors  taking charge of doing their makeup, fitting their body microphones and all of that. We have to learn to be a one-man army and take on as many roles as  possible.
Now that confirmed cases are on the increase and many people have died all over the world, what do you tell God in your prayers?
 I ask for his name to be glorified in everything, and for something good to emerge out of this. I remain thankful that he has kept me and my loved ones out of harm particularly after the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award (AMVCA) scare. I ask him to direct me in the ways in which I might be useful to humanity through this period and beyond.
There are going to be numerous changes come post Covid 19, what changes are we expecting in Nollywood?
You know what?  I cannot predict what the future would look like as long as  Nollywood is concerned. After all, in 2019, I never predicted that I would spend 2020  this way. I’m just watching and going with the flow, strategizing and re-strategizing as the days go by.
 What do you think should be done to ameliorate negative changes?
We all need to be more compassionate towards the next person and look out for one another. Everyone’s life has been disrupted and we shouldn’t lose our humanity also. We certainly need to make the most of the changes we’re going through and instead of thinking of them as negative, let's focus more on how to adjust and make the best out of it.