Beautiful Opemipo Bamgbopa broke into the Nigerian movie industry at a very tender age. As a child actor people started paying her attention when she starred in the TV series ‘Living next to you’ created by Opa Williams.
Ope has now grown into a beautiful damsel, smart, tactful and intelligent.
The role interpreter who got the moniker ‘Maradona’ for her outstanding role in the movie with same title, is currently an undergraduate of the Lagos State University.
In this chat with TheNewsGuru, she opens up on hugging stardom at a very tender age, why she took a break from acting, amongst other issues.
What spurred you towards a career in acting?
Like most people already know I started as a kid actor. I have been very smart since when I was a little girl. My mum started acting way before me; she had been doing movies and TV series.
Most times when she brought scripts home, I was always reading the other part for her. Fortunately there was a day she was went for audition somewhere in Surulere, there was supposed to be a role for a young boy in the sitcom, but the boy did not show up and I was the only kid there.
I read the dialogue, they loved what I read .That was how I started acting. Eventually my mum didn’t get a role. That was how I got into the industry. Apart from the fact that I was lucky that day, I have always had flair for acting.
What is the name of the first movie you featured in?
I started with a soap-opera called ‘Living next to you’; I featured in the soap-opera alongside Tina Mba, Joe Adegwa and others. The first movie I ever acted is called ‘Iya Simbi’
How were you able to handle stardom at a tender age?
It wasn’t easy for me to handle stardom at a very tender age. My mum was my manager so it was very easy for me to walk on the street and people not touch me. Though there were harassment, but not sexual. I have always been a very simple and down to earth person since I was very young.
My mum was always there so it was easy to combine a lot of things .Then stardom didn’t get into my head, it hasn’t gotten into my head till now. Even as young as I was in school, a lot of people saw me as a star and people wanted to be my friend.
Why did you take a break from acting?
I took a break from acting because when I started, I was very young. In life you have to go through many stages. A lot of people lose their childhood or don’t even have what they call childhood. As a child star you go through a lot of things, meet t a lot of people and so on. I took a break from acting because I had to go to school and do other things in life.
Now that you are back into the industry, how has it been getting roles?
It has not really been challenging getting roles; the industry is filled with a lot of people and a lot of talents at the moment. It’s just for you to do what you know how to do best and stand out amongst your contemporaries. It has been God’s grace I cannot say it has been easy.
Have you ever been heartbroken?
Yes I have been heartbroken. One thing my mum tells me is that you have to accept the things you cannot change.
Once something is for you; it will always be for you it will never pass you by. I have been heartbroken and I have learnt from my experiences. Heartbreaks comes in different ways and forms. It could be from your friends or business associates. When we talk about heartbreaks people often think in the direction of emotional heartbreak. Yes I have been heartbroken emotionally. I have learnt from my mistakes and I know how to handle situations like that better now.
How would you measure your mum’s impact in your acting career?
My mum’s impact in my life is immeasurable .I will always be her baby no matter how old I get. She is always there for me. Even when I thought I couldn’t handle it any longer when I was very young, she was always there . I was basically going to school and acting at the same time.It wasn’t that easy because I was young and naive about so many things. She kept me in check.