Content on this page requires a newer version of Adobe Flash Player.

Get Adobe Flash player

 

The dream of every Nigerian actor is to break into the seemingly impervious American movie industry globally known as Hollywood. This is not unconnected with the fact that over the years, Hollywood has become a synonym for international acting excellence. In fact, only a few Nigerians have made it to the C-list in Hollywood.

For the last five housemates in the ongoing Amstel Malta Box Office, AMBO 5, being a part of the show, they must have contended, would avail them a seamless entrée into Hollywood after they must have conquered Nollywood as the homegrown movie industry is known.

On the 16th day of their quest for fame and fortune and all the appurtenances that come with movie stardom, the housemates showed that given the same opportunities and template, they could act as well as established Hollywood stars.

In a task entitled “Adaptations of Hollywood”, the housemates had to reenact scenes from popular Hollywood movies. And the first adaptation was a haunting scene in Devil’s Advocate starring Al Pacino, Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron. George and Ivie played the roles of the troubled couple as earlier depicted by Reeves and Theron. Indeed, there could not have been a better interpreter among the housemates for Al Pacino’s intriguing and mysterious character than Ovie.
Though none of them, except perhaps for 28-year-old Ovie, possibly saw the show, they dug into the depth and essence of their artistry to relive the characters that made its followers twirl and leap every other week. According to Ivie, the moment she saw Dandy’s character, she fell in love with it.

For Ovie, acting the part of the soap’s main character, Mr B with his education and western orientation was quite difficult especially as it entailed speaking with a cockney accent, yet, he put up a compulsive showing that must have once again left a good impression on viewers.
He brought his theatrical background to bear on the role which he later confirmed was a big challenge because of the caliber of the person he was made to step into his shoes, even if it was for a few seconds. “Playing Al was very difficult for me because he is a very good actor with all the necessary facial expressions. It was really tough,” he said.

Toluwani and Shade enlivened the screen as the warring sisters in the reenactment of scenes from American Sweetheart featuring Julia Roberts, John Cusack and Catherine Zeta Jones. But the role that challenged diminutive Toluwani the most, according to her, was reenacting the role of a distraught mother whose son tottered dangerously on the brink of death as originally depicted by Kimberly Elise in the box office hit, John Q. |

The film also features Hollywood leading man, Denzel Washington. Permitting the fact that the housemates stuttered through their lines, you would appreciate the efforts put into recreating roles that the Hollywood actors spent months perfecting in an obviously more conducive environment.

Prior to their Hollywood foray, the housemates were tasked to produce individual infomercials suitable for Amstel Malta which came off quite well.