‘Rita Dominic Was My First Nollywood Crush’ – Tonto Dikeh

A few weeks ago, the actress got chatting with Emma Emerson of Golden Icons where she talked about her introduction into Nollywood, her belief about self-expression, tattoos and early crush on fellow Nollywood actress Rita Dominic.

Hey, you come from a family of seven, what are you, the middle child?

It’s kind of complicated because my mother had five children before she died and I’m the third. My stepmother has two children – boys who are grownups and way older than I am. They do not relate with me in any way but I mean when my father got married to my stepmother, he got married to them too.

What was it like growing up and how did you get into acting?

Growing up was really very beautiful, like really good, I had a lot of people who were there to support me, who were there to put smiles on my face because they felt like ‘you know you are not with your mother’, they had to do extra things to make you feel happy. I got into the movie industry after I left the ‘Next Movie Star’ reality show. I have always had the dream of being an actress but never saw that possibility coming through. But after the NMS, I saw it like a dream come through and I just keyed into the opportunity and used it wisely.

Yes so you started making connections with a lot of people and you changed as a person or did your personality stay the same from before and after the stardom?

(Sigh) I would say my personality changed a little bit because I have always had this nonchalant crazy, ‘I-don’t-care’ personality but when I left secondary school, I went very close to God and I was like what you call a ‘born-again Christian’, I was born again, (Sigh). I still love God you know, I still love him, I’m close to him but I have got to do what I have to do.

What does that mean?

(Sigh) as an artist I don’t think there is a role that I want to ever reject except your scripts do not fit into what I want. Okay I want to play every role possible, I want to fit into every character possible, that is what I mean and it might not be a Godly character you know because that all Godly character does not show my potentials as an actress.

Do you feel as if you have two personalities? I think that everyone gets you pretty much as the Nollywood bad girl but yet people still love you and there is something very ‘girl-next-doorish’ about you. So tell me, do you have those two personalities that you have to turn on and off?

No, I feel like I am just like every great actress that can act their way through anything you know, so I don’t have to switch personalities I have to act personalities, that’s how it is.

I like that you don’t have to switch personalities, you have to act it. Do you feel bad that people sometimes take you for your roles; it could be like ‘this is Tonto because this is the roles she plays?’

Yes I do really feel bad about that sometimes but at the same time what I use to comfort myself is that those people are really ignorant. I mean that is it, when you are ignorant it defines you, so I’m better than that.

There is this movie that you did that brought a lot of controversy your way and I wanted to always ask you even before I got to meet you. The movie is dirty and silly; now reading about it of course there was no sex involved but you got a lot of attention from it, how did you feel about it?

I felt really good about it, it means only one thing; that I did that really well. So if you think that the character was me then I did a very good job as an actress. That’s what it means and I really loved that movie, you guys need to check out that movie.

Now about tattoos, you have a thing for tattoos?

Yeah.

How many tattoos would you say you have?

Okay, before now I had 57 stars on my body plus 57 letters but the new one consists of 570 curves and lines plus I just added 16 stars to my body so I can’t even count.

You can’t even count? How old were you when you got your first tattoo and what was your first tattoo?

When I got my first tattoo I was 20 maybe, I can’t remember. I’m not really sure about that but my first tattoo was that on my leg and the initial stuff that was there before has been changed.

What made you say ‘I want to get a tattoo’?

I’ve always been a tattoo lover but have always been someone who respects my parents a lot, I can’t do things that will upset them even if I have a mind of my own and they definitely know that I have a mind of my own but leaving the home and being me and making my own money made me realise that I could do whatever I want to do.

How did your parents react when you first came home with it?

My father loved the stars but he doesn’t love the back. I told him something, I said ‘remember something when you say ‘you don’t love my tattoos’, it’s my body’. At the end of the day it is my body.

And you are pleased with every single one?

I am so loving my body right now (laughs).

You have this new tattoo that you just did and it has covered practically 70 per cent of your body. What is the reason behind it and how did you come up with the decision to create this big tattoo?

First of all, I love Lil Wayne, he’s got plenty tattoos so I want to be like him and second, I am a lover of art and anything that includes art, I love it. So it’s tattoo, if it’s drama or music or poetry I love it but I think am just addicted to the pain of tattoos though so I just keep having more and this is not going to be my last.

Where else do you want to have it?

I still have like about 40 per cent of my back that is still plain and I’m hitting that plain part.

Do you actually get up and turn around to look at your tattoos? Like I don’t get the fascination.

I don’t necessarily have to look at my tattoos, I see my tattoos through the eyes of everyone around me when I get up I just look at your face and when I do that, I know what you are thinking baby (laughs).

Now we are going to ask you ten questions. I want you to think of your replies right off the top of your head.

Whoa.

Okay it’s quite simple and fun, you are going to like it, so favourite designer?

Tiffany Amber.

Your Nollywood best friend?

None.

Your first Nollywood crush and be honest?

Crush, None.

From back then?

None.

Before you became a celebrity you never had any?

Oh, Desmond Elliot.

Oh okay.

Not a crush, it was just an admiration. If it was a crush then it was Rita Dominic.

Whoa, you had a girl crush?

Yeah

What you wished you never said in an interview?

Nothing.

You never regret anything?

No.

Most embarrassing moments?

Oh, when I had to kiss a friend.

On the lips?

Yeah.

The most beautiful place you’ve ever visited?

Oh, Paris.

Your favourite idol in the whole world?

Al Pacino

If you had to meet somebody right now, who would it be in the whole world.

Julia Roberts.

Why is she your favourite act?

Actress not act. My favourite act is Al Pacino but my favourite actress is Julia Roberts.

How has the recent movie ‘Damage’ influenced you?

It’s really very good and I enjoyed every moment I spent on set because as an actress I got educated. Right from the first trilogy which was ‘Damage’, I have been educated a lot. Violence is something that we should never accept and I never knew how drugs could actually damage one in a very bad way until I started filming this movie. I realised that and keyed into it immediately so it helped me intellectually and it made me a teacher of it.