Veteran actress Franca Brown is one of the movie icons in Nigeria who pioneered the birth of Nollywood. The seasoned thespian whose acting career spans over 3 decades, hit stardom in the 80s, when she played a remarkable role in the rested NTA drama series, Behind The Clouds. Armed with a degree in Law from Ahmadu Bello University and Theatre Arts from University of Jos, Franca is one of the few intellectuals the industry is blessed with. Not resting on her oars, the thespian has added more feathers to her cap. She is an actress, producer and director. Her production outfit Ruby Diamonds has several movies to its credit. Franca who recently completed her Masters in Film Production from University of California Los Ageles, was one of the veterans honoured with a Special Recognition Award at the 2016 City People Entertainment Awa rd. City People Head of Movie Desk VIVIAN ONUORAH paid the pretty movie star a visit at her Lagos Home where she spoke extensively on her career, life and regrets in the industry.
For how long have you been in the movie industry?
I started with the movie industry when the industry started actually, but I was not in Living In Bondage, I was in subsequent productions. The one that I actually starred in first was Jezebel and that was in the 90s. I started acting well before the movie industry, that was in Behind The Clouds in 1985/86.
How has the transition been over the years?
There has been a lot, in terms of scripting, productions. Then we used to use VHS, we moved on to super VHS and then other technologies came up. Now we are using High Definition Cameras so there is a lot of difference. In terms of acting a lot of us have improved too, it has churned out a lot of stars.
Personally, how has the experience been?
The experience has been inexplicable, because at a stage when I started I didn’t know I would get this far. I started as a student and I was studying Theatre Arts then at the University of Jos, and it was just for the fun of it. As a Theatre Art student they were using our theatre for auditions so I just went for audition. Honestly, I didn’t know it would get me this far. When I got there, the first thing that discouraged me was that the director looked at my built then and said she has a matronly look. Then he just called the costumier and said, tie her two wrappers let me see what she looks like, honestly I wasn’t happy at all about that. For me, I was a young girl then and came for a role of a young girl, so when they said I was going to be a mother to someone who was almost my age mate, it wasn’t funny. At a stage , I was counseled, in fairness, because I was a young girl, in my teen age so for me to be acting a mother was discouraging. But he called me and said look you have the skills and diction I want, all I need is for you to slow down because mothers will not be this fast. I know you are doing your age but now I want you to carry the age of a 40/50 year old. As a teenager, in my mind I said this guy is not serious. I didn’t do anything about it but he came to fetch me later from my hostel after that day, he said “Haa you gave us your address and you didn’t come out again, (laughs) they came to pick me unlike the other people who all went back there by themselves, they actually looked for me. Another discouraging thing was when Ene Oloja who was supposed to be my child said ‘ ‘She is too young, how can I call her mama(laughs).Then the director just said go to the mirror and take a look at yourself, you have a smallish look and you fit into this age. With a little bit of make up here and there, she would look like your mother. Then they called the make up person and told her to distort my face so I just sat there frowning. The director walked up to me and said you are a Theatre person, why don’t you want to act this role, at the end of the day he said Franca you can do it and something inside me told me same. So I went on set and I started carrying the role. Then the first thing Nosa my son in the movie said was am sure you are imitating your mother, this is not you because he was a very funny person. And honestly he helped me also to enter into my role.
Nosa and Efe were my kids in the TV program Behind The Clouds. Initially I was skeptical about it but to God be the glory, that was my stepping stone into the industry. I honestly didn’t know it would take me this far but I finally found myself in the film industry and that is how I excelled.
So it was your first movie?
No it wasn’t, I had done Behind The Bukka and that was where Matt saw me. I was a police officer’s wife. It was a series but a Jos based series . But when I came in, Matt recognised me and said I wasn’t new to it. It wasn’t about being new but about playing the role of a mother to someone who was my age mate. I was just a first year student in Theatre Arts, I hadn’t stayed in that make believe world for too long. But here I am today.
That was your first year in school, didn’t it interfere with your studies?
No it didn’t, incidentally we became the stars in school but that didn’t give me the grades that I got. Somehow, Matt knew the importance of our education so he wasn’t there to interfere with our education, he made sure he shot the timings that were suitable for us. Also he always shot several episodes and sent them off to Lagos for broadcasting so we wait for another timing, when we go on camp. That time when other students are on holidays, I was working and I was paid. So I really enjoyed it .I have really been in the system before the time of Living Bondage that started this aspect of movie industry, but we have to be mindful of saying movie industry because the industry has been there during the time of Ola Balogun and others.
After graduation, how did you get into the movie industry?
It was now easy because the face was there, I came to realise that, it was an easy thing to enter. The moment anybody was auditioning and sees you walk past, they will just beckon on you, and ask are you still acting. I would say yes and instantly I would be given roles without even auditioning. All we needed was just to come out because we were already known. Most times nobody bothered to do auditions for me before giving me roles because they have watched you. That was how I got into Nollywood. It wasn’t difficult. The people who caught me were Francis and Emem Isong. She wrote the script Jezebel, she wrote it in English but we acted it in Igbo.
Since then has it been just acting for you?
Yes and No, we had things on the side, most of us still do. That’s called multiple strings of income, I used to travel out, buy things and sell. I also used to do furnishings for Shell and so many other companies. I used to do a lot of things, it wasn’t just acting then because acting then wasn’t putting much food on the table, but along the line it really picked up except that pirates have taken over.
At one point you were the queen of the industry and then suddenly you went off, what happened?
Its always like that in any other career, I didn’t slow down rather I started producing my own films and people will give you a break when you start your own production. I started producing and directing, so it takes my time. When you call me and I don’t have that time, also people within my age are table casted, it is very difficult for you to call an audition and I will go. So they would have done their table casting to say Franca Brown will play the role and somebody could object and say she is on set directing. Along the line it wasn’t as if the jobs were not coming, but if it had to interfere with my own, I would turn it down and the moment you do that once or twice to anybody, it becomes difficult to get more jobs.
Asides that you also had a stereo type role of wicked mother you always played in movies?
Not really, it’s the producers that actually branded me with that. The moment you do something good, they believe that is the best thing you can do. You can also subdue me in a film and make me a poor woman. That wasn’t really Franca Brown, it was one aspect of acting they felt I could chew well and they kept giving it to me like meat.
Did that role affect your personality outside the screen?
Thank God for Nigerian society that is a bit enlightened. Initially, if for any reason you miss your step somewhere, they would say that is exactly how she is in the movie industry. But along the line when they have related with you, they will come to know the kind of person you are. I knew one woman in the market, the moment she saw me she came to me and embraced me ,she said you look so much like my younger sister but I didn’t want to approach you initially because you are a very wicked woman but I made sure to explain to her that Franca is nothing close to that, through my actions. It is very difficult to explain to everybody and that role was like a branding for me. Thank God somebody else has taken it now and that is Patience (Mama G).
What about fame and popularity, how do you cope with its shortcomings?
I have always known that goes with it ,the moment you are in the limelight. A golden fish has no hiding place. It wasn’t a challenge for me anyway, everyday we are being written about and sometimes you see people tell lies about us. There have been a lot of lies told about me but how do I correct it? The only thing is that most of the time I don’t grant interviews so when you write I will ask was I quoted? they will say no, they said you said then am like its just a hear say. That is another challenge but honestly the good out weighs the bad.
For how long have you been into production?
I have been producing since 1994, I started with Lies of Destiny, and since then I have been producing but I started directing in 1996. My first produced movie was directed by Madu Chikwendu, subsequently I went into directing.
How did you delve into Directing, did you acquire some professional training or you just dabbled into it?
I read Theatre Arts and within a course of Theatre Art , there is Directing as a course. But you see, I needed to actually be under an apprenticeship of some director that has done something before because now we are in the world and not in school. It is best to be under somebody let the person mentor you a little before you get your candle flaming.
How about setting up an academy where you can share your wealth of knowledge in acting to aspiring actors?
Everyone of us will not set up a film academy but you can also mentor people, they can come into your production and do apprenticeship and learn from there. Am toying with that idea I might, but its not in the offing for me right now but much later I might. I may retire with that and still do my productions. I read the course and I have been following up with it. Courtesy of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, we just went to do a Masters course in Film Production in America. I have done several courses in film production that I can impact on some people. But that is a long time project and something I have to sit and package first.
What is the name of your production outfit?
Ruby Diamonds.
Tell us more about Franca Brown?
My name is Franca Obianuju Brown. I went to Federal Government Girls College, Ibusa, from there I went to Alhmadu Bello University, Zaria to read Law. After reading Law I read Theatre Arts just to show you how much I love Arts. From there I progressed to the film Industry. Since then I have been reading as well. Just last year, I went for Film Production Course at UCLA, University of California, courtesy of the Federal Govt. of Nigeria. They chose a few of us for the course.
Are you saying you graduated from Zaria in Law and went back to study Theatre Arts?
Yes, during my time it wasn’t 5 years, and the people who trained me are lawyers so they insisted I study Law but I went back to my passion after that. Its not as if it’s a waste because I utilize it in my writing. I screen play and I have Law books I refer to.
Are you married?
No am not.
The post Veteran Actress, Franca Brown, Opens Up On Her Life & Career appeared first on CityPeople Magazine Nigeria | Nigerian Celerbrities | Entertainment | Stars.