Seun Kentebe is an actor, writer and CEO of Esskent Productions. The Business Administration graduate speaks to Oluwayomi Olushola about his humble beginnings, crossing over to the big screen and dealing with fans.
Do you wish that you studied Theatre Arts in university?
Yes, I wish I did. I’m sure it would’ve been a whole lot more exciting than Business Administration. I definitely wouldn’t have gotten two extras!
You started off on stage, how easy was it to transition to the camera?
The transition to camera wasn’t an easy one at all! There was that period of not being called for small and big screen jobs because I was highly theatre-inclined. But, as a thespian, you are trained to become versatile and so I built on that foundation; watching movies and being fortunate to have a few colleagues who had transitioned successfully show me the ropes helped a great deal.
Tell us about your first day on set?
My first screen gig was the sitcom Twilight Zone and my character was called Ugo. It was a serious walk on a tightrope and I was highly self conscious. My first scene was about ten takes! Eventually, I was able to adjust, as KP, Biola Aloba and the rest of the crew understood and were extremely helpful.
You write and act: which do you prefer?
That’s a tough one; they’re both escape routes for me. Acting helps me take time off from being me and becoming a new entity for the duration of the project while writing grants me godlike powers, in the sense that I get to create characters. I’m on the fence on this one!
What are your hopes for 2015?
My hopes for 2015…more small and big screen jobs; locally and internationally, kickstarting my outfit, Esskent Productions and churning out more scripts and box content.
Tell us about your character in Paranoia?
I play Thomson, an unaccomplished 33 year old who believes life has been unfair to him and has given in to his inner demon, believing he is entitled to something that is obviously not his. And as he embarks on his quest to claim his “entitlement”, he finds that he’s gotten more than he bargained for.
Photo: Courtesy of Seun Kentebe
Read the full interview in Issue 12 of Nolly Silver Screen magazine (February 2015) online, click here and here.
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