Veteran Actress, Eucharia Anunobi Finally Reveals How She Combines Acting And Preaching

Veteran Actress, Eucharia Anunobi Finally Reveals How She Combines Acting And Preaching

Eucharia Anunobi

Beautiful veteran actress, Eucharia Anunobi, is a talented movie star, filmmaker and pastor. In 1994, Eucharia woke up famous thanks to the movie, ‘Glamour Girls’. Her unclad bathroom scene with Zack Orji caused lots of debates among Nigerians then. She had gone on to star in over 90 movies including, ‘Abuja Connection’. She’s currently an ordained pastor in Lagos. Eucharia, who lost her only child two years ago to sickle cell anaemia, speaks with ABIOLA ALABA PETERS on combining her divine assignment with acting

First of all, what do you say to people who misunderstand you?

One thing I’ve come to realise in this life whether you like it or not, there are people who are called negative minded people. So no matter what you do, they will have their own preconceived mindset about what you do or your personality. So for me, I don’t mind them because whether you like it or not God exists and Satan has his own people too who propagate evil. So I don’t bother about them. They are behind me. I don’t bother about misconceptions. They are not things I waste my energy on.

Do you mind taking us through some of the challenges you experienced as an actor?

It’s a career that I really love. It’s more of the challenges outside or people’s perception of my roles. When you play a role and you are outside, people tend to think that you are the role that you play. That’s anything I will say is challenging but for my job, I love it and no matter the  upheaval or you know several things that may not be right in the process of acting, they aren’t troubles to me. Rather they are what I call propellers that help me to do my job well. The only thing you know like I said is when you finish acting the role, when people see you outside tend to equate the characters you have played to your personal life which is not true and not right but for me I am fine with that because most times when people see you outside and they say, oh she did that role very well. It means I carried out my duty very well so I am excited.

How has it been combing your calling as a servant of God and career as an actor?

Well I thank God almighty for the strength and the power. I also look at it that God is able to manage all the countries in the world and he has the leadership and the managerial skills to coordinate all the whole affairs; so the same thing is bestowed upon me. The same ability to be able to coordinate affairs of being his preacher, his vessel and also an actor but don’t forget again, I am also a pastor. You find out that you don’t preach every day from morning till night, and then from Sunday to Monday. Being a preacher that people call to preach in different places in the country has a timetable and schedule because when they want me to come preach in their churches either in this country or outside, you know there is a time table. So I work with timetable, same thing with acting. So when a producer or director wants to call you for a job, they ask what your timetable is and with timetable and timing, I’m able to coordinate myself. If I have a preaching engagement in a church, I know how to organize myself that it does not clash with my acting schedule as well. That’s if you learn how to prioritise, learn to manage and then keep them in their right proportion.

What are you working on currently, since it’s a new year?

On my future projects, I don’t talk about it. It’s under wraps. You are pregnant of it. You don’t talk about them until they come to manifestation. Anybody who goes about saying, I want to do this, I want to do that, witches and wizards will come and hijack the ideas. So we don’t talk about future projects, we see them better when they are manifested.

Can you recall your first pay check as an actor?

Oh, that’s a long time ago. My first movie actually was ‘Nneka the Pretty Serpent’. The producer can go check their record. I was paid N30, 000. I played two scenes and that was a lot of money then. I gained fame playing two scenes of ‘Nneka the Pretty Serpent’ by Gabosky production. It’s on their record. I am not like other actors that will come and misquote figures or upgrade figures when they know it’s a lie. So my very first pay as an actor for my first movie was in ‘Nneka the Pretty Serpent’ part 2. I played the role of Ezenwanyi which means the queen and I got N30, 00 for that.

Where do you draw your inspirations from?

Well first and foremost, I will say God is my ultimate inspiration. Why, because His word in the book of Proverbs 18 Verse16 says, ‘the gift of a man makes a way for him and brings him before kings and great men’. Also the book of Matthew 24 when he talks about the servants who are given the talents to multiply them, that story inspired me to use my talent for his kingdom. These timeless words filled with life’s wisdom are my bed rock and has inspired me on how to live the life.

Are you saying your inspiration comes from God’s word?

Of course, yes, God’s word generally inspires me. Look at the story of king David when he was in trouble had to act by disguising and making himself look like he was mad or he was an imbecile to be able to get across. And I looked at these things and I said, oh these are gifts from the almighty God and you can develop and perfect with that. So often when I am working on set, I get my inspiration from God that I need to do the best because God is a creative person. I am doing my work as an actor; his ultimate Spirit comes upon me that I am to make it real. Creativity attracts you know and for me I want to enlarge my coast because it’s been said in the holy book in the Bible that those of us are blessed with gift because every human being is blessed with gift so if you don’t use it properly, you will give account of it. So for me like you asked, God is my great inspiration and then I do not want to be held accountable that I did not use the gift that he gave me while on earth.