She is a woman of many parts. She is an actress, a director and a producer. Above all, Uche Jombo is an entrepreneur with huge investments in the movies.
In this chat, the mother of one talks about her career and how her father’s death altered the course of her life for good. Enjoy it.
What are you currently working on?
I have a film I co-executive produced with Ini Edo called, ‘Heaven On My Mind’. That’s what I’m working on right now. I have another project, a series that will come out soon entitled, ‘Boys Are Not Smiling’. It’s a youthful series. These days, the youth think they know everything. So, I think I should give them a platform to actually let us know what they know. We did an online open audition, with all the leading characters cast online. I can’t wait for people to start watching it. We have filmed the first season and now preparing for the second season. We will soon start showing it.
Your last movie had Kalu Ikeagwu as one of the lead actors, what is the relationship between you and him?
He’s an actor I have worked with several times, and he’s an amazing actor. I have a good chemistry with him. I have always said that you don’t waste someone like Kalu; if you have to give him a role, give him something that is worth the trouble. There are some actors like that. There are some actors you put on your project because of marketability and some you put because of their commitment to the character.
What’s your growing up like?
I grew up with so much and little. I know what it means to have everything. Also I know what it means not to have at all. And so, all these formed me as a person, which is why I don’t attach importance to things of the world. If you know me well, you will know that’s how I am.
What is the most difficult moment in your life?
It would be when I lost my dad; it kind of changed a lot in my life. It also changed my situation and that of my siblings, and formed who I became as an adult. It’s a time that brought tears to my eyes; it’s also something that forced me to grow up.
What has fame denied you?
I used to sit down and say things like that, but I have grown, I’m an adult now. I don’t have time to do that any more; because if at all I want to think about what fame has denied me, all I need to do is get a book and write things I have gained and lost with fame. The longer list will contain what I have gained with fame, so why will I now start focusing on what I have lost?
What is the craziest thing a fan has done to you?
A fan almost squeezed the living daylight out of me at the airport, simply out of excitement. She was talking about a film I did with Patience Ozorkwo entitled, ‘After The Proposals’. She was so excited about the film, and she narrated how the same thing almost happened during her traditional marriage.
Before you got married, did you turn down proposals from men?
I think every girl will do that before she eventually gets married. I think you will have to kill some frogs before you meet your prince charming. People you don’t want to marry will ask you to marry them, before you eventually meet whom you want to marry.
Which do you like most – directing, acting or producing?
That’s not a fair question because I’m an actor first and foremost. Now I am passionate about certain projects that I just have to see them to the end. I look at directing as a passion project, and then for producing, I have been executive producing films for the last 10 years. I don’t know why people think I just started now. It all boils down to passion, but I am first and foremost an actor. I am passionate about anything I take on, whether I am on that project as an actor, a producer or director. I’m just one of those.
What should your fans expect from you?
You are going to see lots of projects from UJ Studios. You will see lots of collaborations; you will also see projects that I am passionate about like ‘Boys Are Not Smiling’, ‘The Hustle Is Real’, and ‘Heaven On My Mind’ etc. Someone commented on my (social media) page today and it was like ‘Uche, you are back’ and I said ‘I never left’.
