People Think I'm Lesbien Alex Lope

Acting the role of a lesbian on Zeb Ejiro’s controversial movie, Dormitila 11, brought her instant fame and stardom. But it also earned her the uneviable ‘lesbian tag.’ Ever since, she has had to contend with the stigma. In an exclusive chat with us, Nollywood star and second runner-up, Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN)- 1993, Alex Lopez, opened up on her lesbianism experience after she starred in the controversial movie. “It was a role I had never played before. I played a lesbian woman in Domitilla 11. Ann Njamanze and Sandra Achums where also on the set. My husband found out that I was a lesbian and he had issues with it. That tag has stuck to me over the years. I was only doing my going. In retrospect, she said, “I just smile at it because it is funny for people to actually believe that I am a lesbian. To this day, people still see me in that light but it has not affected my relationships. I am not really bothered.” She said that her portrayal of the lesbian role was strictly professional: “When I act a character, I breath life into it. I enjoy what I do. I put myself in that character and let my imagination run. Then I ask my director, please, what is the picture? I always ask God to give me the strength to carry the character through. “Everybody’s sexual preference is their own business. I am not saying that I can toll orate lesbians and homosexuals. But if an individual has decided to be gay, it is his/her life; it’s their business,” she added. After she did ‘Piccadilly’ a couple of years ago, Alex went out of circulation. She spoke on her whereabouts. “Sometimes you just have to take a break at some point in your life, restrategise and try new things. I left at a time that the industry was going through a stage and I was going through a stage. I was growing up, getting mature and I felt I should try out something new so I went into poultry farming. It was a success. I am off it for now but I will return soon.” Love life For the half Brazilian, half Nigerian, her heart is currently vacant: “I like to keep my private life private. I cannot put my relationship on the pages of newspapers because every artiste should learn to separate their work life from their personal life. “I have gone out with a fellow actor before. They are human beings. They don’t have leprosy and they are not animals. While some actresses say that they can’t date fellow actors, I don’t share that view. It is up to you the person wearing the shoe. I can date anybody irrespective of profession but I am not in any relationship right now.” Marriage “I will get married when God says I will. I am a contented human being. I am not desperate about getting into anything. What is worth doing is what doing well. I don’t want to rush into marriage and rush out of it. I want to stay in marriage.” According to Alex, when she finally finds Mr. Right, her acting career would not get in the way “I am a family person. I believe that family comes first in as much as I love my career. But I will ask him, “what else do you want me to do’? We will talk. There is room for negotiation. It takes two to tango.” Single motherhood Lopez has a 16-year-old son she single-handedly raised. She spoke on the challenges of single motherhood. “I love my son and we are very close. We have a strong bond. He is 16 and should get into the university in October. He is my best friend. The challenges of raising a child single-handedly are much. it’s not easy bringing up a make child but the secret is making him close to you. Make him discuss every issue under the sun with you. Even if it gets you angry, curb yourself because he might not understand. Don’t wait for him to ask questions. You have to be an attentive parent, you have to be proactive. Take sometime out of love to explain certain things to him. You have to sense what your child is going through and reach out to him so that he would be encouraged to reach out to you. My son and I laugh and talk a lot. Whenever I am on set, he calls me ‘mom, where are you? What are you doing? I miss you so much!’ He is my boyfriend. I even discuss my scripts with him.” Sex-for-role “Honestly, I haven’t been harassed in the industry. I guess, if you put yourself in that position, you would probably be harassed. I hear people say it but if you don’t put yourself in that position, the marketer or director cannot harass you. Some actresses are going around and saying it but I guess they put themselves in that position. It happens in every industry, it is not restricted to Nollywood. ‘Couch casting’ happens everywhere. Relationship with God “God means a lot of things to me. He is my husband, my mentor, my uncle my brother and my wife. There is nothing I do that I don’t consciously or subconsciously pray. I pray whenever my spirit prays. I am not a ‘Sunday-Sunday’ person. I don’t believe that I have to go to church to get my miracles; I don’t have to go to church before God answers me. I could have my own quiet moments.”