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Uru Eke: From Acting To Producing

By Yvonne Onyinye
02 October 2017   |   11:00 am
Uru Eke, popularly known for her producing debut Remember Me and her role as Obi in Ndani TV's popular web series Rumour Has It, is a descent of Mbaise in Imo State, Nigeria, but was born in Newham, East London in the United Kingdom. After a Business Information Technology degree from the University of Greenwich,…

Uru Eke, popularly known for her producing debut Remember Me and her role as Obi in Ndani TV’s popular web series Rumour Has It, is a descent of Mbaise in Imo State, Nigeria, but was born in Newham, East London in the United Kingdom. After a Business Information Technology degree from the University of Greenwich, she started her career as an IT consultant at Zurich Insurance Group and proceeded to work in a number of financial organisations across the UK. Uru switched over to acting in 2011 and has gone on to star in several movies and is now part of the new Nollywood. Curious about what she’s been up to, Guardian Life caught up with this trailblazing actress.

Uru Eke

What attracted you to begin a career as an actor?
Acting is something that I’ve always wanted to do. I watched the likes of Julia Roberts and Bimbo Akintola over the years and I wanted to be just like them.

What led to your decision to leave a career in IT?
I had worked in IT for five years and was bored. The acting was something that I had desired to do for as long as I can remember but I was just never mentally ready to embark on the journey. In my mind, it was uncertain and scary, especially as the road to getting to a point where you become a household name can be quite tough. Eventually, I got to a point where my confidence in what I really wanted grew and that’s when I made the decision to switch careers.

Uru Eke

What major challenges did you face producing Remember Me?
Taking up the job of a producer is not a walk in the park, especially when you play a lead character in the film as well. My phone was ringing non-stop when something went wrong or there were major decisions needed to be made. It all had to go through me! To be honest I could have delegated a bit more but it was my first gig as a producer so I got involved with everything.

Motivation is important within the acting profession. What would you say is your motivator currently?
A motivating factor for me would be the people that I get to work with, the script and story. These elements help set the tone for how your mind wants to play a character.

How do you evaluate success as an actress?
I would have said how well your last job did but that may not be a fair statement. These days you never can tell what will please the audience. So my measure of success is the satisfaction I get on or after a job.

Uru Eke

What has been the highlight of your career?
Producing Remember Me was an extremely proud moment for me. From getting the funding, shooting and releasing it. I started off my career wanting to be an actress and now I’m a filmmaker. I’m elated!!

What advice would you give upcoming actors?
Stay dedicated and resilient. It may not come when you expect but hard work and doggedness never goes unnoticed.

What’s the next big thing we should expect from Uru?
I’m working on my next feature film. Production starts in a couple of months and it will be out sometime in 2018.

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