TIPTOPSTARS

Little did Agbor Steve and Rich Manga know they were serving Cameroon with an eventual movie icon when in 2008 they spotted and featured Ebot Vera in Phoenix Scar. She was then only an aspiring movie star and would accept even the role, considered as inferior in any production. But the young actress, born in Limbe would regurgitate her High School acting skills and perform to her fullest at every given opportunity. That is why the show she put up in the said epic movie, shot in Mamfe was to say the least great.

Today, Vera is springing and attracting every film director's attention. Then watch her she delivers her lines in a typically smooth fashion. Watch how she swings from one character to the other with such ease and exactitude. "It's that flexibility that gives colour to the movie we'll be releasing soon," Elvis Tanwie, Vera most recent director told TOTOPSTARS. Then, we sought further to know what it looked like working with the University of Yaounde I Performing Arts and Cinematography Masters II student. "Wonderful indeed! No headache! She delivers, is obedient, competent and what have you," Tanwie replied.

Little doubt that organisers of Collywood Class party were fascinated by her acting prowess and did not hesitate to name Vera best hope-rising female actor. Glad though, the award seems to have announced the start of a relentless journey towards greater achievements. "It's a big challenge. To stay at the top, I must not lie on my laurels," said the 1.72m-tall actress, from Manyu Division in the South West region of Cameroon. "I'll keep working hard to fetch myself more goodies, after all, acting has always been my passion." She went on.

The ebony complexioned actress has thus been spending sleepless night as she prepares for yet another huge production. When we met her for this interview, the Vera was face-rooted in a latest script, Tears on the Bridge. "She is going to do the lead role, reason why you find her buried in the script," Tanwie, still director for the up-coming movie revealed. Question - does doing the lead role in such a giant project make Vera panic? Answer - "Not at all. I'm equal to the task and quite sure I'll make it. You can count on me." She will be off soon for Idenau where a greater part of the story will be shot.

Vera adores compatriots such as Solange Yijika, Chiatoh Collins, Richard Kings and Epule Jeffery. "I love being on set with them and many others, they inspire me," she confessed.

Also a theatre specialist, the rising actress would always be caught dancing. After a good dance, she would put on a nice purple T-shirt and settle on a sumptuous plate of ndole and plantains, watching a Cameroonian movie in the process.

She has also featured in Neba Lawrence[s Forsaken Rose, Fai Donatus' Facing Destiny and Elvis Tanwie's Ride My Wrongs.

"Acting is just another form of art. A way of expressing one's emotions! Another way of exposing one's other skills," Richard Kings told me when I cornered him at his Obili residence to inquire if he was quitting singing. "Singing is my religion and I don't see myself ever quitting it," her continued.

Any reporter in my place would have had the same fears, for, the performance the talented singer put on set in an up-coming movie is not only amazing, but quite scintillating. The said production, Ride My Wrongs is going to be one of Cameroon's biggest movie performances in recent times.

Fans of the singer will therefore be discovering the other side of Richard Kings who has proven that he is multi-talented. "My taking part in the production was also a way of celebrating friendship," said the singer. "My friends contacted me to star in their movie and I accepted, that's all," he said further.

But tell me how it all started. At a movie premiere in Yaounde, Richard told me, a tall elegant-looking gentleman approached him. After introducing himself, he announced to Richard he had a movie script and thought the singer fitted Presley, the main character. Richard did not hesitate and asked to see the script which was only delivered to him two months later. "I approved of the story as soon as I set eyes on it.  I immediately fell in love with the story and started studying it," said the singer.

Two months later, when he had some spare time, Richard, his interlucators and the technical crew set for the shooting on some Yaounde locations. "It was a memorable exercise, quite exciting," he said. "I saw myself getting on smoothly to the utter amazement of my director." "Then, I loved playing Presley whose problems were just my kind of problems."

To director Elvis Tanwie, Richard was a wonderful discovery. "We have found a facinating set boy. It was nice working with Richard. I'm glad our guess was right, Richard is a very good actor as well," he said.

Perhaps the fact that Ride My Wrongs is a near musical worked more to the singer's favour. "My director made me to sing a great deal and I found that quite easy since it's something I do all the time," Richard said.

A few weeks to the release of Ride My Wrongs, how does Richard Kings feel? "Anxiety pricks me like mad. I'm going to have a new audience. My fans will see me in another jacket. In fact, they'll be spoiled."

And after Ride My Wrongs... "I'll never leave the movie set again. It's my newfound love and I'll keep acting alongside singing."

It should be noted that Richard was first invited to a movie set in 2003. The production did not create any great impact and until Ride My Wrongs, he never gave a face to acting. He now thinks the industry has made great strides with some talented and visionary young filmmakers. He would love to do sound tracks for movies as well.

The singer told me his role models are Hollywood's Will Smith and Nollywood's Ramsey Nouah and Genevieve Nnaji. "They're great actors," he said.