The secret agonies of popular Nollywood actress, Eniola Badmus

Debo Popoola
Movie stars the world over always have to battle between their real life personalities and the characters they portray in movies.
Motion picture, since its invention, has become a strong tool to influence the human mind. When communism was at its peak in Europe, films became strong tools in propagating  communist manifestoes, and up till date, movies have continued to be used as tools to spread propaganda.
When one is engrossed in a movie, the reality outside the movie becomes the fiction, while the fiction in the movie becomes reality; this is why the emotional ones among us go to the extent of weeping if something bad happens to their favorite character or become excited at the conquest of their heroes in a movie.
Actors and actresses have come to bear the consequences of their actions in the movie role they take, in the real life situations. There have been reports of movie stars openly embarrassed in the public for their actions in roles they played in movies, especially those movie stars that are always given the role of the villain role. In the Nigerian movie industry, Segun Arinze has had his own share of public ridicule for being a popular villain in most Nigerian movies.
Recently, popular talented Yoruba movie star, Eniola Badmus, lamented how she is popularly misconstrued as a bully in real life, just because she takes the role of a bully in most movies
“If I were like the character you see on television, by now I am sure you would have heard series of news about me fighting on the streets. But I am not like that. I am an easy going person and can be a clown at times,” she said.
The actress, who has had her fair share of negative comments and criticisms on social media especially regarding her style, told Saturday Beats that she has long developed a thick skin for hate words and she does not bother about such anymore.
“I don’t dwell on criticisms and negative comments. As humans, whether we like it or not, there are people who won’t like us no matter how nice we are. One thing I have learnt about Nigerians is that the ones who are quick to criticise you today are the same people who would praise you tomorrow all of a sudden. So, sometimes you don’t have to care so much when criticism comes because soon you could be getting praises from same bunch of people. I have learnt to overlook so many things but then I love everybody equally regardless of whether they criticise or praise me. I do what I feel is best for me at any particular time. A lot of negativity comes with fame. It is the price you have to pay for being a celebrity,” she said.
The actress who is currently promoting her new movie, Basira in London, told Saturday Beats that fame has not changed her in any way.
She said, “Fame has not changed me in anyway. There is no where that I feel like going that I can’t go to. The only difference is that I may have to have some security around me while going to some places. I am a down-to-earth person. I still go to all those places I went before I became a celebrity but I may not be able to go alone. Such opportunities allow you connect with your beginnings.”