“Get back here and lets shoot!” – How Charles Novia dealt with Omotola Ekeinde on set

For a long time, it has been the stuff of rumours, that Nollywood diva, Omotola Ekeinde, can be a tough actress to deal with on set. In his new book, foremost movie director, Charles Novia, gave a glimpse of what transpired on location with the superstar.

An excerpt from the book titled ‘Nollywood Till November’:
“As the recording of the movie continued Omotola somehow started getting on a lot of the crew and cast nerves. Since this is a ‘tell-it-like-it-is’ book and since I am generally known to be outspoken, I believe I have to reveal a bit of this, not in any way to disparage her person but to be candid in my opinion. Little unnecessary skirmishes with one person or the other became rampant. It got to a head one day that my Production Manager, who is usually easy-going and friendly lost his temper and came to me. ‘Sir, please this will be the last time I will ever work with you if Omotola features in your movie after this one!’ he complained.

“I was taking everything in my stride and trying to calm frayed nerves when a couple of days to the end of the shoot, Omotola practically drove me crazy. I am very calm most of the time as a person and as a movie director but that day I blew my top!
“I remember screaming at her and she was shocked at first but made the mistake of putting up a defence. That was when I basically warned her in a very deadly tone to be mindful of me. ‘ I am very dangerous when I am cross, Omotola. By the time I am through with you, you will be shocked what will happen to you and your career’. Most of my crew members were shocked to see me in that mood. No one had ever seen me like that. I remember Norbert Young, Empress and Tari West calming me, while Ramsey sat coolly in a corner fiddling with his phone. Omotola seeing my mood, wisely went to her car and sulked.
“‘Who told you to leave my set?’ I bawled. ‘Get back here and lets shoot!’”