Pretty actress, Monalisa Chinda is one of the superstars featuring in Regina Askias forthcoming Soup-A-Stars Cooking Competition which will take place in Lagos.
A few days back, she told City People why she accepted to be part of the competition.
Monalisa describes herself as a Nollywood actor, humanitarian, talk show host, and a Beauty Consultant. Why did she accept to be part of Regina Askia's cooking project and what is her role?
Well basically we are meant to just do a brief video post on the type of soups we should cook, it’s ingredients and timings. It launches her into the social media space and other media as a promo thus creating awareness for what is coming up in December.
The reason why I am participating is that it’s about our culture, our foods, our spices, and we Nigerians love to eat our homegrown foods/ delicacies. And this one is quite different as we as notable personalities are coming together; away from our comfort zones to cook for the public as opposed to cooking from the comforts of our homes.
Tell us about the Monalisa brand. It is a big brand. At what stage are you career-wise?
If you know the Monalisa brand you’d understand that it’s a brand I have painstakingly built over the years in an industry where people come and go I have remained strong in my craft plus diversifying into other areas of interests
You have been acting for how long now? What have you been up to in the last 1year in terms of movie projects?
Still acting plus my talk show on one hand.
I Just finished filming my movie. a serious drama (romantic thriller) that borders on mental health!
Shot in Port Harcourt my home town. So yes I am still in the business of show biz but the narrative has changed. I do faith-based movies with a tinge of romance and thriller.
Let's tell you a bit more about her. She was born in Port Harcourt, Rivers State to Ikwerre parents. She is the firstborn in her family of 2 sons and 4 daughters. She attended Army Children’s School GRA for Primary and then Archdeacon Crowther Memorial Girls’ School, Elelenwo. Both schools are located in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. She obtained a degree in Theatre Arts from the University of Port Harcourt.
She is a multiple award-winning Nollywood actress, producer, TV host, a UN Ambassador, and a philanthropist. She is the founder of The Arise Monalisa Foundation (AMF) where she carries out her philanthropic activities.
She commenced her acting career with the movie – Pregnant Virgin in 1996, while she was still a student of Uniport. Her next movie – Above the Law was after she graduated from the university.
She rose to limelight in her acting career when she featured in Heaven’s Gate – a television soap in 2000. Since then, she has featured in over 200 movies. Her first movie as an executive producer was a Royal Arts Academy movie titled Kiss And Tell, in 2011 produced by Emem Isong and directed by Desmond Elliot.
Monalisa Chinda was one of the first of 4 Nollywood actors featured on the cover of Hollywood Weekly Magazine in 2012.
Asides acting, she is also a Consultant of the Royal Arts Academy, a media school known for breeding new talents in acting, directing, and screenwriting. In addition, Chinda runs a talk show You And I with Monalisa which she started in 2014.
On concluding her secondary education, Chinda went on to obtain a degree in Theatre Arts from the University of Port Harcourt.
Her road to stardom kicked off in 2007, when she started appearing in the television soap Heaven’s Gate. In 2011, she debuted as Executive Producer in the Royal Arts Academy movie, ‘Kiss & Tell’, which Emem Isong co-produced with her and Desmond Elliot directed. In 2012, she became one of the first of four Nollywood actors to be featured on the cover of Hollywood Weekly Magazine. This November, 2014 the actress is branching out of acting a little bit and is set to debut her Talk Show titled ‘You & I with Monalisa.”
Monalisa is involved in a lot of charity work. She has a column (Monalisa Code) in the Saturday edition of The Sun Newspapers where she writes on social issues and relationships. She is a consultant with Royal Arts Academy, a media school known for breeding new talents, in acting, directing, and screenwriting.
Monalisa, who is the star of the television soap ‘Heavens Gate’ and movies like ‘Golden Moon’, ‘Spirit of Love’, ‘Total Control’, ‘City of Angels’, ‘The Devil in Her’, ‘Salt and Pepper’, ‘Broken Pieces’, ‘Games Men Play’ and countless other movie productions, is roundly admired for her unique interpretation of roles and the ease with which she bumps into roles.
Monalisa is one precious and dazzling acting talent that any good producer looking for an actress who acts with boundless enthusiasm would want to have in his/her film.
She has also won several awards including, Afro Hollywood Award for Best Actress in 2009 and the Most Outstanding African Actress 2010 (Afro Australian Music and Movie Awards). She has featured in over 80 movies. Her contribution to the world of acting in Nigeria was recognized when she was made an Ambassador for Glo (Globacom), the telecommunications giant.
In 2011, Monalisa was crowned the Face of Port Harcourt – Carnival Queen, in her hometown of Rivers State and named the Face of Vita500, a new energy drink from South Korea that recently stormed Nigeria and other West African countries. Also in 2011, Monalisa debuted as Executive Producer in the Royal Arts Academy movie, ‘Kiss & Tell’, which Emem Isong co-produced with her and Desmond Elliott directed.
Monalisa’s first major movie was Pregnant Virgin, which she did in 1996. And subsequently, after she graduated in 2000, she did “Above the Law” and has done many others since then. Widely hailed as the beloved actress of the screen and current rave of the moment; appearing in about two of every five English speaking movies that are currently being released and believed to be principled, humble and reserved by those who know her.
Monalisa Chinda at Turner Studios Atlanta This 2012, Monalisa is proliferating TV programming with the hit glamour soap series, Catwalq, which she co-produced with Emem Isong and Royal Arts Academy Productions. Expect to see her working more behind the camera this 2012, as she explores her producing skills and enthralls us with many must-see flicks like the soon to be released blockbuster, “Weekend Getaway” which she produced alongside Emem Isong and Ini Edo. Monalisa is set to draw in her audience with her personable nature and brand of light hearted fun. She intends to thrill her fans non-stop, while raising the bar for professional standards in Nigerian television, through her progress in the movie industry.
The live stage play is also one of Monalisa’s first loves and she has featured in: Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again by Ola Rotimi, The Fight To Stop Female Circumcision by the late Amatu Braid, Ovarumwen Nogbaisi A Benin Historical Drama, by Ola Rotimi, Death And The King’s Horsemen by Wole Soyinka, “IF” by Ola Rotimi, The Gods Are Not To Blame by Ola Rotimi…and loads more. In 2007 Her road to stardom kicked off when she started appearing in the still running television soap “Heaven’s Gate.”
Monalisa has starred in many other movies like ‘Golden Moon’, ‘Spirit of Love’, ‘Total Control’, ‘City of Angels’, ‘The Devil in Her’, ‘Blind Obsession’, ‘Girls in the Hood’, ‘Honey Desire’, ‘Poisonous Affair’, ‘Save a Soul’, ‘Tears of Sacrifice’, ‘Desperate Ambition’, ‘Extreme Treasure’, ‘Executive Mess’, ‘Next Door Neighbour’, ‘Salt and Pepper’, ‘Broken Pieces’, ‘Games Men Play’ and countless other movie productions, is roundly admired for her unique interpretation of roles and the ease with which she bumps into roles.
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