tansali paparazzi

In Hollywood we have uncountable and numerous child actors - such as Dakota Fanning  and Tatum Oneal (oscar at age 10)

I watch a lot of black and white movies and sometimes when i see child actors from the 60's such as
- Hayley Mills (Parents Trap)
- Shirley Temple (oscar at age 6) 

Then from the 80s and 90s we got the
- Drew Barrymore (uncountable movies as a child)
- Raven Symone (was phenomenal child actress in Cosby Show as Olivia)
- Keshia Knight Pulliam
- Olsen Twins (Mary Kate and Ashley)
etc etc

In Black Hollywood we have young actors who have now grown into successful teen such as
- Keke Palmer (Akeelah and the Spelling Bee)
- Journee Smollet (Eves Bayou and the Great Debaters)

i find it amazing how they were able to intepret their roles like that. I remember years ago (around mid 80s) watching a movie starring Angelina Jolies dad Jon Voight and a then 9yr old actor Ricky Schroder - it was called "The Champ" (released in 1979). I was utterly butterly AMAZED! by Ricky Schroders acting.

The story was about Billy Flynn, an ex box champion, is now horse trainer in Hialeah. He makes just enough money to raise his little boy T.J. over which he got custody after his wife Annie left him seven years ago. T.J. worships The Champ who is now working on his come-back in order to give his boy a better future. But suddenly Annie shows up again

Ricky Schroder at age 9 played his role so damn well in a scene where he accompanies his dad to one of his boxing matches and something happens- that scene was unbelievable, I cried my eyes out uncontrollably. I forgot i was watching a movie - i promise you - u will ball ya eyes out if you watch this movie. Here is a link to memorable quotes from that movie

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078950/quotes

The kids from Slumdog Millonaires did a good job for first time actors. I was very impressed.

One of my all time favourite actors is Leonardo Dicaprio (and no its not because of  lovey dovey romantic Titanic) - I had never seen or heard of him before until  i first watched a movie of him (i think he was 19yrs old) titled "Whats eating Gilbert Grape" (1993 release) where he plays a retard.

For months on end, i was 100% convinced Leonardo was indeed Retarded in real life to have played that role and thus thinking "Oh oyibos in hollywood are kind enough to give equal opportunity for even disable people to play a role in their movie.) No one could tell me different until i recognised his face again in another movie - I was shocked.

And from that day onwards Leonardo DiCaprio became my number 1 hollywood white actor (and thus why i have boycotted Oscars Shows until they give him one - he is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay overdue - how long would  it take before they give him his oscar due - they shoulda given it to him for Titanic or even Gilbert Grape)

I guess one of the reasons are child actors are not so experienced as their HOllywood conterparts  is cos they dont have the experience or training  and "Acting" is still not "fully" respected nor accepted by our (west) african parents and as such auditions or any extra curricular training for a child whilst still in school is not seen as important. Becoming a doctor, lawyer, engineer or banker is all that is foremost in their mentality of success - anything else is secondary. 

There are many and numerous success stories of hollywood successful actors who still have degrees under their belt from great Ivy League Schools and at the same time doing well with acting in Hollywood.

Thank God in the last few years it seems "some parents" or our society are finally warming up to their adult children acting in Nollywood movies. There is hope for change.

I have so much hopes and aspiration for our african movies and actors and i hope our society or african parents are able to embrase creative arts such as acting for our youth, even at young ages. It is still possible for these kids to go through school and with their education and still train as successful actors and be successful at both.

Though i cringe hearing most of our child actors intepret their roles in Nollywood movies - which always sound so rehearsed, however there are four Nollywood Child Actors whose performance are memorable to me are as follows (i dont know their names per se)

- Blood Sisters (The young girl who played Omotola's daughter)
- Romantic Attraction (RMDs daughter - her name is Sharon ???)
- Alice my First Lady (the young girl who played Alice's daughter)
- Prophecy (the young girl who played Genevieve's Daughter)
 (unfortunately i dont have any memorys for young boy actors)

QUESTION:
If you are an african parent and your gifted child showed interest in acting, would you encourage them.  If not why?

I would like to pose this question to all and particularly those already in the industry (actors and actresses)

•Whittiker gets chieftaincy title after DNA reveals his Igbo identity

For Forest Whittiker and his compatriot Danny Glover, it was sweet home coming on Sunday April 5, 2009 when the traditional ruler and people... of Nkwerre, Imo State, welcomed him with a chieftaincy title after taking part at the just-concluded African Movie Academy Awards in Bayelsa.“The sleepy town went in wild jubilation when the motorcade entered the ancient palace of Eshi of Nkwere while the traditional drummers and women dancers welcomed the guests with songs of praises. “The African-American A-List Hollywood stars were introduced to the people and chiefs of the town by Chief Nze Chukwuka Anyiam-Osigwe, the eldest son of the Anyiam-Osigwe brothers who is also a titled chief of Nkwerre.

The elated Anyiam-Osigwe told the crowd at the palace of Eze Dr. Chijioke Jeki Okwara IV, that the coming of Danny Glover and Forest Whittiker was the greatest thing to happen to black history as history was made on the day the two men re-established their connection with their roots.“Forest Whittiker has done a DNA which revealed that he has Igbo ancestral root and a link with Nkwerre people. The eldest Anyiam-Osigwe said: “This is our lost brother. We have found him and brought him home. It is only an Nkwere man that can find his way home after many years. We are a people from unparalleled kingdom. We are a pride of Igboland. Today, our brother Whittiker and his friend Mr. Glover will be made Nkwerre Chiefs and it is not an easy task to be an Nkwerre chief because there are only 30 Nkwerre chiefs in the whole world,’’ he said.




After introducing the Hollywood stars to the people and chiefs, the King ordered that they be brought into the inner chamber for traditional rites preceding their final confirmation as chiefs. It was an emotional one for Whittiker who has been working all his life to establish direct contact with his ancestral Igboland and the quest was made possible by attending the UBA-AMAA awards in Nigeria as a star guest. “After the traditional rite of hand-washing before the breaking of kolanut, which signifies purity and cleansing the Eze Okwara IV, Eshi of Nkwere called on the Eze Anyiam-Osigwe, the eldest of the Anyiam Osigwe brothers, to once again confirm if the guests were worthy to be made Chiefs of Nkwerre. Before the 20 heads of villages that made up of Nkwerre, Eze Anyiam-Osigwe proclaimed the worthiness of Glover and Whittiker to be chiefs of Nkwerre.

“Danny Glover is a member of our family for his attitude and ways of assistance to us. Being an Nkwerre chief will help us socially, culturally and economically as our dream of a film village and film institute will be realised with Danny and Whittiker as chiefs of our town. They are good people. We present them as worthy of being chiefs of Nkwerre,’’ Anyiam Osigwe declared. “Upon the public affirmation of the duo as worthy of the honour, Eze Okwara asked the palace chief to bring out a live eagle, a symbol of strength, vigour and power to complete the chieftaincy rite. The king removed the feathers of the eagle and stuck it in a red cap before both men wore their caps as red cap chiefs of Nkwerre. Whittiker was honoured with the title of Nwannedinambar of Nkwerre, which means a brother in foreign land, while Glover had the title of Enyioma, which means a good friend of Nkwerre. “The traditional ruler of Nkwerre told the people at the ceremony that good things were happening to the black race, with a black man becoming American President.

“The black race is an intelligent race. You will see how the Obama stimulus package will bail out the world economy already in recession. It is the same level of black intelligence that made it possible for our son and brother to get to the height of their career as Hollywood stars.”

When you get to America tell them you have discovered your root,’’ he told Whittiker . He went further: ‘’This meeting today will bring a relationship of partnership between Nkwerre and African-America through cultural exchange and economic opportunities,’’ the monarch explained.

While accepting the honours, the two men thanked the people and the king for accepting them and recognising their achievements as movie stars and for them finding worthy to be honoured. They promised the people that they would live up to the demand of their traditional offices.

Source:     http://www.compassnews.net/news/
Photos:     Simply Habeeb.blogspot.com