Background
My name is Adaora Ukoh. I am an actress and presenter. I am the first child and I have three siblings. I am a native of Anambra State, but I was born and brought up in Lagos. My siblings and I had a fun childhood even though it was under strict parental supervision. My mother was a teacher while my dad was a military officer. I studied Law at the University of Lagos. I had very few good experiences while growing up. I was not born with a silver spoon, but my dad created one for us, which we lost at some point in life. My father passed on when I was young. Being the eldest child, I was saddled with a lot of responsibilities. These experiences have moulded me into the woman I am today.
Acting
I clinched my debut role as a teenager in 1998 in the movie, Karashika. I walked up to an actress that lived on my street and told her about my desire to act. I auditioned, got a role and kicked off my acting career. But I took a break when I went to the university. I made my comeback in 2007 with the movie, Black Bra. Although I studied law, acting is my first love. I am about to enrol for training in scriptwriting and producing.
Parental support
My dad did not support my decision to become an actor whereas my mum was indifferent about it. My mum had been transferred to Awka, when I informed my dad about my intention to embrace acting and he was shocked. I was scolded for that. He was not used to watching movies; all he did was watch the news and listen to good music. Because of this, I used to steal some time away from school to shoot movies.
Challenges
When I started acting, there were very few challenges. We were naive, but very passionate about acting. If we (actors) did not have transport fare to go for auditions, we trekked. I would say it was a bit easier then. We looked out for each other. The industry is experiencing some challenges at the moment but things can only get better because we look forward to a better Nollywood.
Nollywood
Often times, the audience are not impressed with movies and I think this is probably due to lacklustre directing or lack of technical know-how. The industry is no longer an open one where anyone can just walk in, walk out or produce movies. Also, we have production and post-production issues; the industry is faced with challenges of distribution. A lot of good producers are no longer in the business. If they were there, they would have being able to checkmate a lot of things. Pirates are a pain too; they no longer wait for movies to be released before they feast on them.
Body size
Paying attention to naysayers could affect you negatively especially if you decide to dwell on whatever it is they have to say. We are created differently and the most important thing is to be the person that you are destined to be. I have always been a plus size, but the camera has a way of adding about two inches to your size. It is sometimes a challenge for me on the job because I do not get the roles I desire so, I work on my weight. Despite the challenges and embarrassment I am faced with, I no longer care. The most successful women I know are plus-sized. Now, when people complain about my weight, I always wonder why they sound like broken records. Monique for instance is a brand because of her size, so I celebrate my body.
Adaora Couture
When I started the couture line for plus-size women, I received many negative comments. Only a few people can confidently wear what we (plus-size ladies) wear. I am confident in my own skin and I have created a brand out of it, which I am absolutely proud of. Although the couture line is still functional, we are retailing outfits at the moment.
Marriage
There was no secret marriage. It was something that was supposed to happen, but never did. Rumour- mongers decided to spread a false story. Also, I did not snatch anybody’s husband; I am too hot for that. I can find my own husband, I do not need to snatch anybody’s husband. It is something that will happen sooner than anyone expects and whenever it happens, it will only be known to a few persons.
Hobbies
When I am not working I stay at home and listen to music; I cook or hang with my friends and have a good laugh. These are the things I do and I enjoy them.
Beauty
I drink a glass of water when I wake up every morning. I take lots of water and do a lot of home therapy.
Style
I love bags, shoes and jewellery.
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