“I Have Been Acting Before Nollywood Was Formed” — Pete Edochie

Pete Edochie, a veteran actor, reveals that he began his acting career before the inception of the Nigerian film industry, Nollywood.

In a recent interview with Afia TV, the legendary actor said that he made his film debut in 1985.

Pete Edochie discussed his first film role, which was in the adaptation of Chinua Achebe’s novel, ‘Things Fall Apart.’

He went on to say that the concept of Nollywood as we know it today did not exist at the time.

In his words;

“I’m senior in the movie industry. I mean, when I did ‘Things Fall Apart’ in 1985, there was nothing like Nollywood. By then, Nollywood was slumbering sonorously in the womb of time.

“It was seven years after that Nollywood came on board with ‘Living In Bondage.’ I went round the world before Nollywood came. By the special grace of God, after I did ‘Things Fall Apart,’ I was celebrated internationally.

“The BCC flew in here [Nigeria] to interview me and tell flew into America to interview Chinua Achebe. And Achebe said, ‘Pete Edochie gave that role an interpretation after my heart.’ Before he died, he was calling me Okonkwo.

“Seven years after Nollywood came and when I retired from broadcasting, I joined Nollywood.”