THE NEXT BIG ACTOR (I) SHORT STORY
Singer Jane Diwa wanted another feather in her cap badly. She had tried songwriting but her manager had begged her to stop. She hadn’t the training to write sheet music and the outcome of her excursions into composition of lyrics were potential disasters due to her use of uncouth language, unco-ordinated ideas and lack of poetic skills.
She had a powerful voice for sure and had built a successful career around reissuing popular songs from yesteryears but she wanted more. Why? Her former friend and rival, the gorgeous soprano Teri Banba, had recently become an author. She had written a book about her struggles with depression and the media seemed to be talking endlessly about it. Jane wanted to do something different too to gain media attention and she wanted to do it fast.
From her experience in composing music, writing of any sort was off the cards. She thought of doing some work of charity but couldn’t make up her mind. Needy people were multiplying by the day and some of them were plunged into destitution by what she saw as “senseless, human-precipitated crises” like wars and grand-scale looting in government that entrenches, rather than ameliorates hardship. Her sympathy was all but used up. So, no humanitarian engagement at this time.
Besides, she needed something that showed she had extra skills beyond rendering amazing vocals. As she was anxiously ruminating on this “epic problem”, she received a call that gave her the “perfect” answer. The call was from one of her occasional lovers, a movie producer/director called Judah. He’d heard she was in Abuja and was inviting her somewhere sometime in the next week. She didn’t catch where or when specifically because she was already fantasising about seeing herself on the screen.
Not only did she accept, she gave him the impression she had missed him so much and would die if they couldn’t meet immediately. He was flattered but told her he was in a meeting with screenwriters for one of his forthcoming movies. Excellent timing! She decided to broach the subject right away.
“When are you going to feature me in a movie? I mean how long will it take you to make me a movie star?”
“What are you talking about, Jane? You can’t act.”
“Is it required? I can count a lot of movie stars who can’t either. All I need is you and a suitable script.”
“Can we talk about this another time? I’m in a meeting right now.”
“This is the best time to talk about it. Write me into that your movie.”
“I can’t. The screenplay is ready. We are just tweaking a few scenes to satisfy the financiers.”
“Well then, tweak it some more and write me in. Since I didn’t give you sufficient notice, I’ll be willing to accept a small role. But next time, I’ll be the main character. You can start by writing something where I play myself. But bottom line is, I want this thing in my portfolio already.”
Judah’s mind had been working as Jane spoke. This was an opportunity he could exploit to get some big money from her. She sounded desperate but he needed to be sure.
“How badly do you want this thing?” Jane knew how his mind worked. His question meant sex alone couldn’t cut it in this case.
“How does two hundred thousand sound?”
“You must be kidding! Am I selling tomatoes?”
“Half a million, then.”
“Give me a cool million and I will make you the star of the one we’re shooting in a fortnight.”
“That fast? Haven’t you done the casting and everything?”
“Not a problem. The girl in the lead is a wannabe. I can tell her whatever I like. Besides, she’s extremely talented and it won’t be long before she gets another break. But babe, you have some serious work to do to pull this thing off.”
“Hey, this is all happening so fast. Give me some ….”
“Developing cold feet already? It will be fine. Remember I’ll be in charge to guide and help you. How soon can I get the money?”
“Tomorrow. And if the picture does well, I’ll get two more shots.”
“Then we have a deal, actor-singer Jane Diwa. Tomorrow evening, the project begins. Watch out, people! The next big actor is coming your way!”
-To be continued-
The second part of the story shows how Jane’s attempt at acting worked out. Will she succeed in becoming the next big actor? Find out in tomorrow’s instalment of this short story.
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Is there something you badly want to achieve? What are your motivations for having that ambition? Do you feel you have something to offer in that area, are you eager to bless people with what you can do there or are you just competing with other folks?
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Awesome story… Life of a star tho, lots of ups & downs… can’t wait for the “Part 2”
By God’s grace, it’ll be worth the wait.
stardom isn’t always as we envisage it. great writing ma! Jisike.
O! Ezigbo nwa, hope you’ve been working hard. You are blessed!
Wowww! Suspense-filled. Bravo! Longing 4 d part 2.
Part II has been served. Read and share your impressions. Bless you!
Interesting…what people could do just to achieve “fame”
Yeah, and what motivations people may have for what they do! Shalom!
awesome story, the suspense is on
awwwww!!!!!!!!!!!!!nice
There is no hurry in life make we take am easy. I can’t wait to readcthe next episode.
No hurry in life. That’s the best way to avoild costly mistakes
hmm…can hardly wait for the next part. nice story!
everyone wants to act
can hardly wait for the next piece
hehe..so desperate!
Desperate times, desperate measure
money is not everything. Diwa had got wrong by indulging in anything just for fame. she is not seeking the opportunity to act because she loves acting but just to compete with her friend and show off. the movie director is ready to consume from a prey.
it’s good to know where you r based, and be the best in it.
Living a competitive life is very exhausting especially when it is meant to please people or to elevate one’s status and many stars are like that. It’s always better to be content with what one can do.
Well said, my dear! You are awesomely blessed in Jesus’ name.
Why live a competitive life just to impress and please others?? Stardom is not always how we envision it. Remember, people who we feel have a complete life might be missing out in something because we don’t really know what happens behind the scene.
You’re right. Everyone has one thing or the other they are yearning for.
Fame eh, kai! it’s a two-edged sword.
Love for limelight, love of always being in the news. Even though it is good for an artiste, thier are other ways to remain relevant rather than using competition as a yardstick.
In her pursuit of fame and fortune, Jane is willing to give up a lot in other to be the next big thing. Whatever happened to doing your own thing and being content with what you have? I can’t wait to see Jane’s downfall because that what happens when you become consumed with greed.
Jane’s motivation for acting is wrong and she might end up creating bad publicity for herself (is that what fame is?)
wow
life of a celebrity, this happens mostly to celebrities who love attention, every minute their stories always everywhere….
not being contented is a very bad thing ….
I will really love to know what happened to singer Jane Diwa. I hope she’ll change her mind and cancel the deal she has with the movie producer/director (Judah)
The best thing to do to avoid costly mistakes is to avoid hurry in most important issues of life.
This Jane is very funny… all she wants is to get famous no matter what it takes forgetting that there’s a word called passion. She should work more wwriting song and join it together with her voice, she will definitely make waves. Good luck to her
How desperate Jane could be. Life shouldn’t be all about becoming famous but rather it should be what to have to offer to the society to make it grow, we shouldn’t be desperate about things we know we can do but always give our best in what we do and what we do best will always bring us out.
Believe me nothing good comes like that , she obviously bought her way in lets see how it works ,and that manager self!!!!
Over desperation could lead one astray in life. Life is step by step. You can’t rush it. Jane is trying to do more than she can do and this is very bad because it will lead to her being manipulated by Judas. she fails to understand that one can’t buy the perfection. She fails to focus on her talent and diverts he attention to things she isn’t good at. One thing everyone should learn is that if you have a talent, focus on it and develop it.
No road to success is easy especially when you want it as fast as possible.
Competition on the other hand just to meet up with other people could be unhealthy cos it can lead to unhappy ending.
Nice post ma.
Desperation has made so many people to make terrible mistakes which they don’t realise until it becomes too late to make amendment. There is no shortcut in life and those who follow shortcut sometimes end up never reaching their target. Life is step-by-step one step will take you to the next level, but singer Jane Diwa fails to see life that way. She was in a hurry to become famous but she wouldn’t work for it.
Amazing I wonder what Jane intend to do with her anxiousness for fame. It is obvious Jane is making a wrong move by trying to acquire fame by all means not minding that people destiny are not the same. The fact still remains that Jane has no passion for, she just want to be fame, I look to see the kind of actor she will be.
Read carefully, my dear! She is already famous, she just wants to add another title to the one she has. Bless you!
She’s not being fair in getting what she want, if she wanna get media attention or become more famous, she should do it the right way not to rob another person of the ability of putting her talent to work.
Rather than focus and improve on her own abilities, she’s competing for media attention against Teri. That’s for me a complete definition of a confused lady. She doesn’t know who she is and her worth. I can almost bet that her unreasonable desire will cost her more than she bargained for.
Hmm
The way they are using eachother, she should watch out so he doesn’t cheat her oh. I believe in healthy competition but seriously this isn’t healthy. To want to do something just so ppl see u in a particular way isn’t nice and especially whenu don’t have talent for it. Let’s see what happens next
She wants it because someone else is doing it.
She Wants the fame at all cost.
She wants to show the world she’s more…
Well, there are times like this.
It’s best we just take time to grow, discover and build ourselves. Not doing things because some else is doing it and good at it.
Jane! Jane! Jane! How many times did I call you?
Babe, I sincerely like the fact that you’re hardworking and ambitious. For certain, I like your energy, I really do. But then, please take things easy so you don’t hurt yourself in the process. Of a truth, competition helps one become a better version of his/herself. But I’m afraid because it seems you’re too desperate, too desperate!? I know you’ll argue that desperation is the mother-in-law of invention but then I don’t think your friend’s achievement should put you in that state. Teri Banba’s success should only be a source of inspiration.
If care is not taken, Judah will eat your money and equally eat you too. Calm down Nne. ?
What a desperate lady. You don’t force acting or singing on yourself. Its a gift from God, I wonder why Jane is so desperate in becoming a superstar. Can’t wait to see what happened in the second part.
Hmmmmmm, the competition shouldn’t be with anyone else but yourself, you trying to do what you are meant to do to bless lives and to fulfill purpose. Jane’s motivation to go into the movie industry is bad, she can at least add spice to her God given gift of singing or look within forgetting the competition and she would find something unique God has put in her aside singing. I pray God help her and us all too to be motivated by the right thing.
Jane is been too desperate and I am certain,the director will utilize this opportunity and extort alot of money from her. Corruption is everywhere.
If only people will learn to take things easy without being so desperate while going about trying to achieve their set-out goal. Mistakes can be made out of desperation if we don’t learn to quietly make good plans and execute them amicably. The story of this lady is one which should teach all of us a lesson: there is no short part to success. Live, sleep, wake up, breathe in hard and take life easy. In the end, we’ll still be where God wants is to be. nice Ma.
I really want to know what happened next!
The desperate quest for fame can make one to lose his normal sense of reasoning. One can’t give what he can’t have. Even if anyone wants to get something, he has to work hard for it and not on bribery or gifts because such things don’t last.