Popular Nollywood actress and reigning queen of the box office, Funke Akindele, is set to make a highly anticipated return to cinemas this December with her new movie, Everybody Loves Jenifa. This time, Akindele brings back her iconic character, Jenifa, promising fans another captivating adventure.
In a recent interview with Bella Naija, Akindele opened up about revisiting the beloved role, sharing her excitement and offering a glimpse of what fans can look forward to when the movie premieres. Here’s what Funke Akindele had to say about this special comeback.
“Hey Funke, it’s great to have you talk to us. How are you doing today?”
FUNKE AKINDELE: I’m doing great and excited too, I can smell the Jenifa season in the air and I can’t wait for the Jenifa family to see our film.
“On a scale of 1-10, just how thrilled are you to share “Everybody Loves Jenifa” with the world?”
FUNKE AKINDELE: Oooh! I am very thrilled, actually 10/10. You know Jenifa is a real one! She’s always on the side of the people and the people love her. Even if she’s a character, She has a part of me that I can only show through her so whenever it’s Jenifa season, it’s always a jolly period for me and as the director of this film, it felt good to be back to doing what I love and seeing it look exactly how I envisioned it.
It’s also humbling God still gives me the grace to bring my imagination to life.
“What inspired you to bring Jenifa back for a whole new film—was there a special moment that sparked this?”
FUNKE AKINDELE: So for me it’s two things. Firstly, it’s almost the end of the year, and given how this year has been for everyone generally, I just thought it would be nice to do a film that would make people happy, laugh and can be watched by everyone.
Secondly, we are in a time where it may seem like indulging in social vices is an easy way to escape our current reality and Jenifa is that person that always steps in to either advice or educate people on their lifestyle choices and how it affects everyone around us. She’s all about good morals and always advocating for patriotism.
“With Jenifa stepping into this new chapter, what do you think fans will love most about her journey this time around?”
FUNKE AKINDELE: There’s so much to love about Jenifa’s new chapter. She is very determined, despite not being able to communicate fluently in English but you know what, just so I don’t let the cat out of the bag, I’ll leave the fans to decide what they love about her this time around.
“Working on this project as both actress and producer must have been a unique experience. What’s been the most exciting part of wearing both hats?”
FUNKE AKINDELE: I would say at this point that I am used to doing this. It’s not so easy to achieve but sometimes, when you see and understand the vision, you have to step up to execute, of course with the help of the best team and crew in the world andddddddd…. I love directing, it comes naturally to me.
“Do you have a favourite memory from the production?.
FUNKE AKINDELE: The unity among the cast, crew and everyone on set. We became a big family, we shared food, we always had a good laugh and we all looked after each other, that was so beautiful to see.
“If you could step into the shoes of any other character from “Everybody Loves Jenifa” in real life, who would it be?”
FUNKE AKINDELE: It’ll always be Jenifa for me, other characters are very awesome and they help her become more of herself but I’ll always be on the side of my girl Jenifa