Clad in a white body hugging suite and a beige coloured silk shirt, the lady’s man was the cynosure of attention as camera bulbs flashed and celebrities and fans networked on the Red Carpet.
One thing that strikes you after all these years about Ramsey is how he has been able to shield his family from the media in a scandal prone industry like Nollywood despite his dashing looks and the female attention he gets.
He smiles as he responds to the question, a mischievous grin playing around his lips: “Are you asking how I’ve been able to maintain a scandal free career? Yeah…that’s because I’ve been able keep them (his family) away from you guys (the media).” We both erupt in laughter as he continues. “Stardom has not kept a lot of people away from my privacy but the sweetest thing about being an actor is that you are loved by all the people.”
So, after all these years of marriage, what does he cherish most about his wife?
“She is a double woman. She is not an ordinary woman I must confess. A lot of women can’t take what my wife takes from me so I call her a double woman. In fact, she is a triple woman so I must give it to her. She deserves an award, I mean tonnes of awards. I tell other woman when they lament ‘oh my God, your wife is trying putting up with you.’ I tell them ‘yeah, that’s why she’s better than you.’ We have three lovely kids now.”
Any plans to make more babies?
He reacts in an ejaculatory outburst followed by ringing laughter: “No, it’s all over. E don do, school fees nor be small money-o!”
Tempting Fate
Ramsay, who cut his teeth on the set of Zeb Ejiro’s Mega Fortunes, has been below the radar for quite a while. What is happening? “Well that’s true and it’s because we have been doing more of cinematic movies and as you can see, they are much more capital intensive and that is because we want to take the industry to another level so that we all can be proud of it. We are complaining technical wise and story wise and I know you are going to critique Tempting Fate, my latest movie too but it should be constructive.”
Opening up on Tempting Fate, a synergy between Nollywood and Hollywood featuring stars like Hollywood’s Dan Davies and debutante, Andrew Onoye among a host of others, Ramsey continues: “The movie is about love, redemption and heart break. Forgiveness is a very strong theme in the movie as well. At the end of it you come to realise the need to forgive.”
Noauh acts the role of Ugo, a bad guy who lives a double life buried in crime. What were the challenges acting the role? “It was quite a good story and Ugo is an interesting character. He is not really the bad guy he portrays but it was circumstances that made him a bad guy.
“Circumstances pushed him to the brink and all the while he truly loved his family. Everything he did was for his family but it just backfired. The movie has a deep message for Nigerians.”
“The movie reveals that all that glitters is not gold. It reveals what Nigerians suffer out there and exposes the fact that really, the grass is not really greener out there.”
What was it like acting alongside Hollywood’s Dan Davies and the crew from Hollywood: “They did not have that air around them like they were from another world; they were so down to earth. We were like a family.
“It was really cool working with all them and guess what, they were happy to work with Nollywood and they wanted to know more about us; they are really curious about Nollywood and this is going to open new channels of opportunities and collaborations between Nollywood and Hollywood.”
Tempting Fate is the story of two brothers, one of deep faith and the other buried in a life of crime. Their worlds are torn apart when the wrong one goes to jail after the other commits an unforgivable act. Ramsey plays the part of Ugo who finds the life of crime appealing and is encouraged to do so by Scorpion, the gang leader characterized by Dan Davies. On the flipside, Edu, portrayed by debuting actor, Andrew Onochie, is the calm devoted Christian brother to Ugo who is afflicted with a life threatening illness.
Secret to success
“I’m passionate about my work, my art. Passion drives the world. I am passionate about acting, I am passionate about what I do because this is the only thing I can do very well,” says Ramsay as he shares his success tips adding, “my advice for youngsters who want to take after me is just for them to be passionate about what they do. Passion drives the world. It does not matter whether you are an actor, a doctor, an engineer or a waste disposal guy. What matters most is passion. As long as you love what you do and appreciate it, you will become successful at it.
