Shaffy Bello – I Don’t Always Watch Films I Star In

…says I don’t throw my name around

Shaffy Bello needs no introduction after making a major comeback in the 2010 Yoruba film, ‘Eti Keta’, and has since been a regular feature in the Nigerian film industry. In a recent interview with VJ Adams on his podcast, Shaffy shared candid insights into her life and career, while also offering thoughtful perspectives on love and relationships. Excerpts:

If you were going to produce a movie, what story would you like to tell? Epic or modern? Modern.

And it has to be about a woman, her resilience. I’d love to tell a story about the older generation, where I am now. We don’t tell enough stories about women, what we go through, who we are, and how beautiful we are. We take a flower and tell the story of that little part inside while ignoring the different petals around it.

I’d love to tell a story about what it took for a woman to become this. That’s why when we did ‘Christmas in Lagos’, that little story between me, RMD, and Wale Ojo resonated with so many women, even women in their late 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s.

They connected with that woman because the fact that she picked the person she picked, and not the obvious character, resonated with people. I got a lot of feedback saying, “We don’t tell these stories enough.” I would tell a story about a woman.

How do you decide on scripts you eventually work on?

I’ll be honest. You take some jobs because of the producer. Some jobs you take because of the mileage. You’re not crazy about the script, but because of the people involved and the mileage behind it, you take it. There are many reasons you take jobs. Some jobs you take because of the money. Let’s be real, that’s why we’re working. And then once in a while, you read a script and think, ‘I don’t care if they don’t pay me. I need this character.’ When I read those scripts, I act while we’re negotiating. I act like, ‘Oh yeah, it’s nice,’ because you don’t want them to know you’ve fallen in love with the character. But that happens once in a while. You read a character and think, ‘I’ve got to do this. I can’t wait to chew her down.’

Have you ever watched a movie and thought, ‘Damn, I wish I could have played that character?’

Absolutely. I’ve watched some films and thought, ‘Why didn’t you bring that to my table? Let me chew that character out for you and spit it out.’ Yes, I know exactly what you mean. When it comes to watching something, what would you tilt towards for the most part: drama, thrillers, action, horror, comedy?

I’m not really a horror kind of girl, but if I catch a good one, why not? I love drama, suspense, and comedy. I’m a movie buff. I love watching all sorts. I never like to box myself into anything.

In the early stages, were you the type to watch movies based on the actors?

Yes, absolutely. I put trust in actors to choose good movies to participate in. People still do that. I’m bankable. People will watch a film because they see certain actors: Samuel L. Jackson, Denzel Washington, and Viola Davis. That’s why they get paid a lot of money.

Do you watch the movies you’re starring in?

Not always. If I’ve done 100 films, I’ve watched maybe 25.

Is that intentional?

Some of them, yes. I’ve played cer- tain characters where I really wanted to see how I brought them to life. But sometimes I’ve played similar characters before, and I kind of know what to expect.

I intentionally want to see some films especially to see the work of the director and the other actors. But honestly, I cringe when I watch myself. I’m a critic. I always think I could have done better, taken it a step further. Very few times have I watched something and said, “Yeah, you nailed that.”

Speaking of music, you’re an integral part of one of the biggest songs from the Afrobeat era. How did “Love Me Jeje” happen? How did you get into the studio?

I loved music at that time, though I wasn’t into it professionally. Seyi had been recording the song with an American girl, but when they listened to it, they felt that the way she was pronouncing the words didn’t have the right Nigerian intonation. Someone told him, “Your cousin Shaffy sings.” So, he called me, and honestly, I thought he was bothering me. I went to the studio, and believe it or not, it was a one-take thing.

I did it playfully because I just wanted to do it for him and leave. I didn’t even listen to it properly. I kept saying, ‘Let’s change this, let’s change that.’ I’m a perfectionist. But Seyi, Carl, and Billy told me, ‘Just leave the studio.’ When I finally heard the song, I thought it was so bad, but I didn’t think it was going to blow up.

At what point did you know it would become a very big record?

When Seyi got back from Nigeria after a couple of trips and said, ‘We need to make a video.’ I was like, ‘Video for what?’ He said, ‘It’s huge in Nigeria. It’s doing very well.’ I had just had my daughter, so she was a baby behind the stage during the video shoot. I was actually breastfeeding at the time.

When you wake up in the morning, what’s the first thing you do?

Before I pick up my phone, I speak into the day. I let it know I’m here, I’m awake. The reason I’m awake is that everything I need will be supplied. I hear good, I see good, I speak good, and I am going to impact lives today. So come on, day, let’s go. And then I pick up my phone.

What were the most exciting things you remember or fond memories from your teen years in the U.S.?

I wasn’t an American teen; I was a Nigerian teen. There’s a huge difference. I was 18, turning 19, so only two years of teenage life there. It was a rude awakening. Here in Nigeria, I was under my parents and older siblings, being nurtured. In the States, I had to sit up and start making a life for myself.

You had to move out of your parents’ house within a year or two. I was staying with my sister, but eventually, I started working and living on my own at 19. My kids look at me today and ask, ‘How did you guys do it?’

Because they’re still in their 20s living at home. But you get thrown in there. For me, it was a choice; I wanted my independence.

How do you like to travel? Would you rather fly or go by water?

I can fly, I can do water. But I don’t like road trips. It is not my thing. Maybe I haven’t experienced them in a fun way, but I can do road trips abroad, but road trips here in Nigeria?

No, thank you. Only if there’s strong motivation, like the person is extremely dear to me. Everyone knows me now. They say, ‘Don’t invite Shaffy, she won’t come.’ Once it’s farther than a certain distance, count me out. It’s just not fun for me.

Let’s talk about what the emotions were like when you realised you were about to become a mother. Oh, you had to go there immediately?

We went deep. I had been waiting for about four to five years. Not trying, trying, but you know, when you’ve met the person, you want to be with, that’s the next phase you’re looking for. It didn’t happen as quickly as I thought. Then one day, I thought, ‘Wait a minute, I haven’t seen this monthly visitor.’ I went to check, and yeah.

What were the emotions?

I was like, ‘All right, this is it. This is the journey.’

Let’s talk about family. Your kids know you’re a star, a public figure. Do they ask you for favours using your influence?

Yeah. They don’t like the attention it brings. My kids are not comfortable with it. My son doesn’t mind it as much. He’s as creative as well. My daughter really doesn’t like it. They don’t like it when we’re out, and people go, ‘Ah, your mum!’ Some people can be quite rude with it. But the perks of being a star?

Oh yeah, they love that. ‘Can you call this person? Can you call that person?’ Of course. But unfortunately, they have a mum who doesn’t throw it around. I don’t like to. I’d rather call and say, ‘Good afternoon,’ without telling you who I am.

I go straight to the point until I think it’s necessary. And when I do say it, and you become more polite, I always feel, ‘No, you should have been polite from the beginning, just because I called you.’ Innately, I don’t throw that name around.

What does love mean to you?

Everything. Love is my creator. Love, for me, is the ultimate emotion. We use it loosely, very loosely, actually. We confuse love with romance and all that stuff, but love is quite different. It has more depth. It’s spiritual.

Do you believe in love at first sight?

Absolutely. Interest at first sight, energy at first sight. I can almost feel it when I meet someone. That’s why I take the word ‘love’ out of it. It’s energy at first sight. People you just click with. It could be someone my son’s age, and I just see them and think, ‘I like this kid.’

It could be someone my age, and I think, ‘We’re going to be friends.’ Or you meet someone whose energy is so inspiring; what they say, how they say it, how they move. Instantly, you know you’ve found someone you can look up to.

Within the industry, who would you call your friend?

Kate Henshaw is a friend of mine. And she’s a time woman too. Don’t play with her time. People say Kate is tough, but you just don’t know Kate. Funke Akindele is a good friend. In the industry, I don’t have a lot of friends. People who have been to my home are my friends.

I have a lot of acquaintances, but friends? People who have been to my home and we’ve connected, they’re my friends.