I have achieved a lot Playing Wicked Roles In Movies - Chiwetalu Agu

Nollywood actor, Chiwetalu Agu, often acts the role of a wicked man in movies. And his depictions are so real that many fans believe that is his real character. Chiwetalu explains that the negative reaction of fans towards his wicked roles is what actually led him into acting comic roles.

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You seem to have an affinity for comedies; why is that? 
I wouldn’t call it affinity. Years ago, I found out that most of the scripts that were brought to me didn’t have comic relief; I was always given roles of a wicked man and I got to understand that most of my fans were not pleased with it. Some of them felt it was something real, and the consequence was that whenever I stepped out in public, I was caught in embarrassing situations. I then decided to be infusing comic relief even when I’m playing wicked characters because I’m a veteran  screen writer. In the early 80s, we were operating in NTA Enugu, which was formerly Anambra Television Channel 50, so the talent is there, and I combined it with the wicked roles they were giving me. The result is that when you are watching me play a wicked role, you will still have cause to laugh, and ease your tension. In fact, I have achieved a lot by doing that.

Can you share instances when fans reacted to you with the belief that you’re a wicked man?
They have done daring things. Some of their actions look like attacks, but with my experience as an entertainer, I will say I saw all that coming, so I was able to manage all of them very well. But one day, while I was on Onitsha ‘Head Bridge’ on my way to  Asaba, there was this traffic snarl that made us come out of the car. One fan came to hail me and slap me on the shoulder in the course of appraising my unique style of acting. Some other persons cautioned him, and he fired back by saying, ‘Don’t you know this man is my all-in-all? He makes me happy; whenever I’m not happy, I just slot in his movie, and I become happy.’

That was an embarrassing incident, but I saw it coming because that was the period I was playing evil diabolical roles.  However, I also touch lives, because sometimes when we shoot movies, it’s like we’re telling some people’s life story. You know, talking about what happens in various families where wicked uncles deal with their nephews and things like that. But like I said earlier, I thank God that I have found a way of getting people to laugh at the same time they watch me play wicked roles.