With the diverse cast of “Everybody loves Jenifa,” it’s safe to tell you to get ready for another round of love, drama, and all the feels—because in Everybody Loves Jenifa, anything is possible.
If you’ve been enjoying our cast interviews for “Everybody Loves Jenifa,” (read them here and here) here’s one you won’t want to miss. It’s time to catch up with the duo themselves—Jenifa and Sege. Previoulsy, they took the big step and got married, but the question on everyone’s mind now is: how is the marriage going? Are they still in love, or are they back to their classic Tom and Jerry antics?
As always, this “drama-filled” pair keeps us on our toes, and we’re all secretly hoping for a little more romance this time around.
Portrayed by Funke Akindele and Folarin ‘Falz’ Falana, Jenifa and Sege bring a magic to the screen that’s simply unforgettable. Funke, the superstar, doubled up as both actor and director on this film, a feat she handled with her usual creative flair. Falz, meanwhile, let us in on how Sege’s character has evolved—so add that to your list of must-watch scenes.
And the surprises don’t stop there. We also sat down with the beautiful Jackie Appiah, Ghana’s beloved actress, who shared how it felt to work with such a diverse and engaging cast. She even dropped a few hints about her own character’s role in this captivating story.
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Funke Akindele will always be on Jenifa’s side—she’s a Jenifa’s girl
Hey Funke, it’s great to have you talk to us. How are you doing today?
I’m doing great and excited too, I can smell the Jenifa season in the air and I can’t wait for the Jenifa family to see our film.
On a scale of 1-10, just how thrilled are you to share “Everybody Loves Jenifa” with the world?
Oooh! I am very thrilled, actually 10/10. You know Jenifa is a real one! She’s always on the side of the people and the people love her. Even if she’s a character, She has a part of me that I can only show through her so whenever it’s Jenifa season, it’s always a jolly period for me and as the director of this film, it felt good to be back to doing what I love and seeing it look exactly how I envisioned it.
It’s also humbling God still gives me the grace to bring my imagination to life.
What inspired you to bring Jenifa back for a whole new film—was there a special moment that sparked this?
So for me it’s two things. Firstly, it’s almost the end of the year, and given how this year has been for everyone generally, I just thought it would be nice to do a film that would make people happy, laugh and can be watched by everyone.
Secondly, we are in a time where it may seem like indulging in social vices is an easy way to escape our current reality and Jenifa is that person that always steps in to either advice or educate people on their lifestyle choices and how it affects everyone around us. She’s all about good morals and always advocating for patriotism.
With Jenifa stepping into this new chapter, what do you think fans will love most about her journey this time around?
There’s so much to love about Jenifa’s new chapter. She is very determined, despite not being able to communicate fluently in English but you know what, just so I don’t let the cat out of the bag, I’ll leave the fans to decide what they love about her this time around.
Working on this project as both actress and producer must have been a unique experience. What’s been the most exciting part of wearing both hats?
I would say at this point that I am used to doing this. It’s not so easy to achieve but sometimes, when you see and understand the vision, you have to step up to execute, of course with the help of the best team and crew in the world andddddddd…. I love directing, it comes naturally to me.
Do you have a favourite memory from the production? Share with us!
The unity among the cast, crew and everyone on set. We became a big family, we shared food, we always had a good laugh and we all looked after each other, that was so beautiful to see.
If you could step into the shoes of any other character from “Everybody Loves Jenifa” in real life, who would it be?
It’ll always be Jenifa for me, other characters are very awesome and they help her become more of herself but I’ll always be on the side of my girl Jenifa
Falz doesn’t mind being Sege in real life
My excitement is 10/10
Sege in “Jenifa,” and now Sege in “Everybody Loves Jenifa”—what has changed for this particular Sege?
I think Sege is a lot more mature as a character in this. His posturing is one of a reformed and revamped man, but his love for Jenifa is still strong as ever.
What’s been the most fun part of collaborating with Funke Akindele and the rest of the cast?
I think the most exciting part has been the entire production experience. It was so much fun on set, filming with the star studded cast and the super hardworking crew. Some of the locations were also super cool.
This December, we feast! Mention two things fans should look forward to in your character.
They should look forward to his unrivaled dedication and of course his hilarious way of expressing himself.
If you could be any character from “Everybody Loves Jenifa” in real life, who would it be?
I think it would still be Sege
It’s been a while since we’ve seen you in Nollywood. How does it feel to be a part of one of Nollywood’s biggest projects?
I’ve been filming in Nollywood in Abuja. I was on a project before coming on Everybody Loves Jenifa. But if you say a film being directed by a woman in Nigeria, in Lagos, yes it will be this project. I haven’t done that in a while. I must say I’m honoured and I had so much fun working on this project especially it being directed by a woman. A phenomenal woman at that. She’s so so good with what she does.
Usually it’s hard to see actors multitask, acting and directing at the same time but Funke does it flawlessly. I was so impressed to see she’s actually the one directing this movie. She’s done an amazing job and I was really happy being a part of this production. She’s always making sure you’re doing the right thing, she comes and pampers you and makes sure you’re okay. I had so much fun being on this project.
“Everybody Loves Jenifa” has a unique comedic style—how did you balance that with your own acting style?
Well most people don’t know that I love comedy. And I hardly get stuff like that to do. The first comedy role I did, I was nominated for the AMVCA as the best actress in a comedy. Funke was also in the same category which she won. I love comedy but I hardly get a script like that but being a part of this project was amazing.
However, the role I played in this movie didn’t have to do with comedy. I was much more of a serious character. It’s something I have never even done. She took me out of my comfort zone. This is my first time playing the particular character I played. I don’t want to go too much into details so I don’t give information out. I just want people to come and see what I did. It was amazing. I loved being a part of this project. It was good.
Was there a cast or crew member who made your experience on set unforgettable? Give them a shout-out.
Oh my God! Every single person on set was amazing. I loved everybody. We were like one big family. Some of the people I acted with were my first time. Some others, I have acted in the past. I had good fun. It was amazing. When I’m in Nigeria, I feel like I’m in Ghana. Nigeria is my first home.
I love Nigeria, and Ghanaians are always fighting me because of that. I love Nigeria a lot and it always feels like I’m home. So I’m giving a shout-out to every single cast member of Everybody Loves Jenifa. It was amazing being on set with them. And I’m looking forward to more future jobs.
Mention one thing the audience will love most about your character.
Oh! They are either gonna love me or hate me. And it’s something different. They haven’t seen me play such a character before. I don’t know how they are going to take it. If they will take it in a good or bad way. But I hope they love it. (laughs)
We loved chatting with Funke Akindele, Falz and Jackie Appiah. If you missed our previous interviews with the Everybody Loves Jenifa cast, you can read them here and here.
