Bobby Micheals has been a Nollywood actor for more than a decade yet many still consider him to be a rising actor in the industry. The multi-talented thespian got his movie break in Zik Zulu Okafor’s 1998 movie, Time Bomb. The soft-spoken ladies’ man who is also a song writer afterwards featured in other movies like Lagos Congers, While You Slept, End Game, etc. YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine’s JULIET IKEOKWU met him at a movie premiere inside Silverbird Galleria, Victoria Island, Lagos on August 19, 2016, and had this brief chat with him…
Is Bobby Micheal your real name?
You see, I’ve been trying to explain this to people; my name is Robert and every Robert is Bobby. Micheal is my name, so I use my first name and my baptismal name for show business, without my surname.
So, what happened to your surname?
It’s not just the name I chose for my artiste work.
What are you working on presently?
A lot of stuff. I just finished my movie titled Deep Fever and I’m currently on set with Teco Benson in a movie titled Speedway and we intend to wrap that one next week and other things here and there. I recently shot a movie in England titled Beyond Life that involved an Irish actor. It was produced by Ogechi Mba, a Nigerian-Canadian. Also I have movies in the market. Birthday Bash is the title of one. It stars myself, Desmond Elliot, Julius Agwu and so on.
When did your acting carrier start?
I consider myself a legendary actor in this industry. I’ve been around for almost 20 years. I don’t feature in every script or film offer that I get. That is because I’m professional with my work. I select my scripts.
Do you do anything besides acting?
I’m a full time film maker and actor. I’m a song writer as well, but I’m not focused on that now.
Did you plan to be an actor while growing up?
Acting is a passion to me. I’ve always wanted to act as a child and I realized my dream almost 20 years ago and that’s how it has been. My mother was an actress, so seeing her act inspired me as a child and that’s how my love and passion for acting started.
What is your mother’s name?
Chief Chary Adele Gwuzoro. She was in Things Fall Apart, New Masquerade and Village Headmaster.
It looks like you are very close to your mum, are you the first child?
I’m the last in a family of four.
Are you in a relationship?
Yes! I am in a relationship. I was married, but I’m in a relationship right now.
Are you divorced or separated?
I am divorced from my previous marriage and in a relationship now. I have three children, two boys and a girl, from that relationship. I really don’t like talking about my relationships because I’m a private person.
So, what do you think about the Nigerian movie industry?
It is doing well. We are going places. I’m very proud of what we’ve been able to achieve without getting much support from the government.
What advise do you have for your fans out there?
Believe in yourself, the sky is no longer the limit. Believe in who you are and believe in what you are doing.