Beautiful and gifted Mary Lazarus is a role interpreter who strides Nollywood without a controversy. The African Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards (AMVCA) nominee started out as a model before she caught the acting bug and became a force to reckon with.
In this Interview with TheNewsGuru, she talks about her most challenging movie role, greatest sacrifice ever made for her career, among other issues.
On why she is selective when it comes to movie roles
I am selective when it comes to the roles I play and the scripts I get. I am selective because there are certain things I look out for in a script. I don’t like to be stereotyped. Take for instance; because I played the role of a maid in a film called Desperate House girls, and I got an award nominated for it, I just kept on receiving calls to come play that same role. The thing about filmmakers in Nigeria is that once you act a role and you bring the best out of it, they just keep giving you that kind of role and if care is not taken, you just see yourself playing only one particular role. I cannot do that. I need challenging roles for every script I get. If I don’t have to read about it or make research about it then it’s not worth my time
The Movie Losing Control
In the movie I played the role of a man it wasn’t easy. I had to cut my hair for that series. From the story line, the viewers already know that I am a woman, but at the same time I had to have the charisma and carriage of a man. It was a bit challenging and after tying my boobs, you still have to deliver your lines, one is not thinking straight and you still have to be on point.
Story line or huge pay
I look out for both when getting a script or a movie role. In a film, you are either getting mileage or getting your money. If the script is very fine, I can work with whatever budget as long as you don’t tell me” I will only fuel your car”. I cannot use fuel my car to survive in Nigeria. If the script is good, I will support you.
On quality Vs. quantity
I have had colleagues in the industry for may be 10 years, yes they have been shooting but nobody has really heard about them. They work back to back, but you don’t get to hear about them. I have had a friend who just shot one movie and people are talking about her. It’s not really about quantity of the movie, it’s about quality.
Starting out in the movie industry
Our orientation changes in life. What I wanted four years ago is different from what I want now. Four years ago all I wanted was for people to see what I can do, but right now it has gone beyond people seeing what I am capable of doing. My goal is to grab awards, I also want to invest in Nollywood. I want to know the business. I also want to produce.
Things she will love to change
I wouldn’t know because it’s been amazing so far. God has been faithful. I don’t know If I would want to change anything.
Greatest sacrifice made for her career
Cutting my hair for a movie was the greatest sacrifice I have ever made for my career
On the time spent in shooting movies
If you want to shoot your movies in five days nobody cares, just make sure it comes out well. If you are capable of shooting a movie in five days, does it really matter? What counts is you getting it right.
Injection of sex and romance in movies
If you send me a script that doesn’t really have anything positive to impact on the viewer, why embark on that journey? I won’t do that. I want to leave a legacy of imbibing positivity into people’s lives