The Nigerian-British Hollywood actor, Chinwetel Ejiofor, on Monday said that his native name helped push his career.
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He also said that when he just joined the industry, he was advised to change his surname to avoid only being offered African parts, but refused to do so because he thinks it gave him more opportunities.
He said: ”I couldn’t understand what the problem was. I mean, bring it on. Let’s do that!
”They seemed to think it was a negative, but it allowed me to work in Africa, in England and in the States.”
He also added that he never thought he could make it as a film star as it never occured to him that he could be as successful.
‘‘I didn’t think I had a chance of being a film actor. My focus was trying to get into the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) or the National Theatre. The thought of being a star never occurred to me.”
Meanwhile, at the premiere of a movie “Half of a Yellow Sun” based on a novel written by a Nigerian novelist, Chimamanda Adichie which took place in Lagos, he said he was proud to be Nigerian. He also said he wanted to make movies in Nigeria for several years.
“We wanted to make a film in Nigeria for several years, maybe 20 years. Several years we talked about making a film in Nigeria, internationalise the market, we know there is so much, there’s a handful of energy and ability in Nigeria,”he said.
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