On April 4, 2016, Africa Magic premiered a telenovela, "Hush," which stars Meg Otanwa as Koko.
A tale of fashion, politics and ambition which follows different members of high society as they collide, the story of "Hush" revolves around Bem and Arinola, power-players in fashion and politics respectively.
In an interview with Pulse Nigeria, Otanwa spoke on being a part of the series, which is bringing back Nigerian television.
She spoke on playing Koko, a relationship between Bem and Koko, the influence of social media, among others.
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How has social media influenced the popularity of "Hush?"
When "Hush" started airing, some of the really excited fans would go on social media to discuss happenings on the show. So some of us (actors) got involved, re-tweeting their tweets and responding to some of their messages. So it became a channel for the fans to connect with us. I guess that fuelled the social media craze. The influence has been tremendous.
How has "Hush" impacted your career?
Imagine being on people's screens in over 40 countries every weekday. The impact has been enormous. I do not take it for granted at all. it's a blessing to be able to get up everyday and do what I enjoy doing.
What has been the most challenging thing about bringing your character, Koko, to life?
Koko is a very interesting character. She is a reflection of a true African lady. Good natured, kind hearted, hard working yet hardly ever to put herself first as she constantly looking out for others and she loves hard. The most challenging part will be not being able to judge her. Sometimes I want to say "no Koko don't do this". But, as an actor, I'm not allowed to judge my character.
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How did Meg react to Arinola's death?
One thing I always knew from the beginning of Hush was the whole "nothing is as it seems" slogan. I suspected a lot of things will change even though I didn't see that one coming. But the writers are brilliant and I am also anxious to know what direction they are going with Arinola's death.
Do you envisage a romantic relationship between Koko and Bem?
Anything can happen between Koko and Bem. Those two have a strong but complicated relationship so we shall see.
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What is the shooting process of "Hush" like?
It is not easy at all. We are shooting 260 episodes so you can imagine the workload.
What do you love and hate about your character
Oh I love Koko, she is a very relatable character. I doubt there is any woman out there who won't see a bit of Koko in herself. Koko's major flaw is her complicated love life which she is constantly working on to make things right. I love that she also evolves at some point and I'm excited for the audience to see a different side of her.
About "Hush"
Bem, played by Richard Mofe-Damijo, is one of Africa’s biggest designers based in Lagos State, Nigeria, and Arinola, played by Thelma Okoduwa, is one of the state’s fastest rising politicians. The intrigue begins when Bem proposes marriage to Arinola, an action that sets in motion a chain of events propelled by the secrets in their respective lives, secrets that run through the backrooms of secret societies, the corridors of the judiciary and on social media.
The telenovella airs weeknights on Africa Magic Showcase (DStv channel 151), at 9pm CAT, and also stars Baj Adebule, Rotimi Adelegan, Michelle Dede among others.
Meg Otanwa is also popular for "Road to Yesterday," "Before 30," "October 1," among others.