The beloved actress, women empowerment advocate and social activist is 50 today. The stage and screen goddess is breaking the internet already, with fans and admirers from home and abroad paying tributes to her for her talent, her industry and sheer commitment to the good cause of humanity. In the article below, written some five years ago, the renowned movie writer, SHAIBU HUSSEINI (PhD), traces the trajectory of the actress easily referred as the Queen of the Silver Screen)
MUCH of the nice comments volunteered by some notable movie critics when the emotive movie ‘When the sun set’ was released in 1994 were on the ravishingly beautiful young lady of Efik tribe, a native of Henshaw town in Cross River State of Nigeria, Kate Henshaw Nuttal. Impressed by her stunning run in that one-part movie which earned the actress, singer and one-time show-host of the pay cable channel, MNET a well deserved mention at the 1996 edition of The Movie Award dubbed THEMA 96, critics predicted that Kate, would with that highwire delivery give some existing talents on the Nigerian movie landscape a run for their time and fees. At that award ceremony which held at the Glover Memorial Hall, Lagos in 1996, Kate was named Best Upcoming (Best promising that is) actress by a well-peopled panel of judges, who like the industry critics, were convinced that she would excel and up her position on the movie rung once she continues to put her talent at the disposal of directors of the first rank.
Indeed, it took the depth of character interpretation in that movie for the focused and self-driven Microbiology graduate of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), to worm her way into the minds of many movie adherents.
Once married to a Briton, Nuttal, with whom they had a daughter, Gabriella, acting was not on the career wish-list of acclaimed African screen diva and princely daughter of Etubong Etim and Theresa Henshaw of the Henshaw royal family. She wanted to become a medical doctor but her career swivel-chair turned along the line and she became so fascinated with movies. She loved films and could watch a whole load back to back. It was from that point that she developed an unquenchable passion for acting.
Indeed, it took that debut outing for Kate to be convinced that she could make a headway in the art of make-believe. And as her passion grew, she sought for more movie outings and as she did, producers found the star of movies like ‘Girls in the Hood’, ‘A million Tears’, ‘To love and to Hold’, ‘Dangerous Silence’, ‘Blood and Ice’ and ‘Emotional Hazards’ a ready hand for their offerings.
Today, Kate whose parents initially objected to her engaging the movie runway because of their fears that she might be carried away by the glamour of the trade and so would not eventually concentrate on her earlier career choice, has through dint of hard-work, dedication and discipline earned a top place in the movie. Indeed she has with boundless passion and a stubborn determination to succeed risen to become a leading force in the Nigerian movie culture, dubbed Nollywood.
Kate whom many new entrants consider a role model is also said to be in the class of the highest paid actresses in the Nigerian movie culture with a conservative movie credit estimate ‘of about 150’.
THE journey here for Kate began in 1993 in Lagos. She had gone to see some friends at the upscale production outfit, Klink Studios, where she was exposed to an audition notice. She concluded at first that she was not going to attend because like she said, she was not ready to go through the rigours of queuing to be auditioned. But she later made up her mind to attend and there she met over 200 people. She almost made to leave having waited for about five hours, when Reginald Ebere, the director of the flick called her up and gave her an opportunity to be auditioned. She did and was eventually cast for the lead role.
As she raced home that day to prepare for the shoot, her belly was filled with excitement. She told everyone who cared to listen that she had grabbed her first role and a lead for that matter in a movie! Kate recalled that she slept with the scripts held firmly to her chest the night before her very first day on location. And on the day of shoot, she made it to location, almost two hours before call time. That shot in ‘After the Sun Sets’ opened the floodgate for the countless movie credits she has grossed since she joined the movie a little over a decade ago.
Except for one or two of her earlier movie appearances, one of them titled ‘Bora’, Kate is often satisfied with her movie outings. Though she admits that there is never enough time to internalise a role because of the producer’s often tight work schedule, Kate insists that she normally would make time out of ‘no time’ to internalise before she hopped on set.
With a penchant for playing non-glamorous and downtrodden roles — what she explains has nothing to do with her background but the decision of the casting directors — one aspect of the movie that Kate is content with is the amount of work she has so far done and the reward or what she called ‘big bucks’ that has come with it.
“I must admit that it has been rewarding. It pays the bills.”
Of all her movie appearances, Kate who spends her off screen periods wi,th her family and friends and whose greatest wish is to live a role on the set of a Hollywood considers her role in the movie ‘Yet Another Day’ as one of the most tasking. She also lists ‘Scars of Womanhood’ and her debut movie performance ‘After the Sun Sets’ as some of her numerous all-time favourites.
For every ounce of success achieved there is a price to pay. One of the prices that Kate has had to pay is what she described as the undue attention, most times negative attention that has come with being involved in the movie. The other challenge is how to keep her home closely-knit while trying to honour the many invitations she receives to appear in the movies.
Kate who has taken part in a number of television soaps like ‘Domino’ says it was easy when she was single but it’s more tasking now that she has a daughter and husband to return to after a day shoot.
“I have a devised a way to manage both well”, she assures.
But outside the challenge of having to keep her job and homefront secured, fame and the pressure from some lustful fans is also another thing that Kate is battling hard to contend with. Luckily she is married like she said, so she holds no patience for lustful fans.
An ‘acting aunt’ to a couple of new entrants, Kate admonishes new entrants to look beyond the financial gains and fame that come with being major players in the movie and instead focus on making an impression that will lead to greater opportunities.
Kate still has her eyes on television and radio presentations. She also expressed a strong desire to establish a charity that will take destitute off the streets of Nigeria and give them hope in the best way possible.
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