TIPTOPSTARS

"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.