The Amazing Grace - directed by Jeta Amata ­has been one of the most talked-about movies in Nigeria. Shot in the creeks of Odukpani on the outskirts of Calabar, it took three gruelling weeks to complete and relate the true story of John Newton, a slave trader who came to Calabar in the 16th century. Inspired by the melody of an ancient Efik folk song, Newton wrote what would come to be the world’s most enduring hymn: Amazing Grace, with its stirring, revelatory words. Weekend Magazine offers you a look at the movie’s beautiful star. What distinguishes The Amazing Grace from other Nigerian films is not only its 35mm gauge celluloid format, but its impeccable research, its visual clarity, its use of some of this country’s finest musical talents, its enormous budget and its superb acting. Dynamic young actress, Mbong Odungide, plays the film’s leading female character, Ansah, who mediated between Newton and the Calabar people due to be enslaved. Representing unspoilt innocence, youthfulness and naivety in her trust and hope, Ansah is a pivotal presence in the film - and Mbong did the role full justice. Explaining why he cast her in this part, Jeta Amata said: “I needed to introduce to Nigeria and the world the innocence and sincerity of a young African woman who embodies both strength and confidence. I wanted someone with expressive eyes that could evoke joy and empathy from viewers - and, of course, I needed an actress who had beauty and charm, and was a new talent. Mbong was the perfect choice, and I am proud of my decision to give her the part.” Mbong Odungide                 advertisement

At just 21, Mbong is indeed a fresh and lovely face in Nollywood, although she has ample experience: The Amazing Grace was her fourth film. “In 2002 I acted in Mutanda, which was based on an Efik myth, and in Chains of Captivity, a documentary about slavery sponsored by the Cross River State Government.

 Mbong is much more than just a pretty face. She graduated from the University of Calabar in September 2006 with a degree in history and international relations, and has always taken her academic commitments seriously - although acting has clearly become her career.

Her performance in The Amazing Grace has made her a household name in Nigeria, although she says she first tasted the limelight as long as 20 years ago, when she was still a babe in arms: “In 1986, my mom entered me in the Pears Baby Competition - and I won! Then I won the Junior Miss Fanta pageant in 1992 and the following year, I was crowned Junior Miss Aqua Cross by Cecelia Ekpeyong, the first female deputy governor of Cross River State. “Then, in 2003, my cousins in Akwa Thorn told me about the Most Beautiful Girl pageant being held there, and I entered that had won the title. “So even though I never anticipated an acting career, I knew that one way or another, I would definitely have a future in the entertainment industry.”

However, the road to movie stardom was not an easy one for Mbong: her mother objected strongly to the idea of making a career out of films. “Mum was worried that it would distract me from my school commitments. But I studied very hard to prove to her that I could do acting and my schoolwork. It took a lot of convincing for her to give me the go-ahead, but finally - when she realised I was serious about it - she relented and gave me her blessing.” Mbong’s siblings, on the other hand, were thrilled about her new-found acting career, and her father also accepted it with equanimity. Which left Mbong with nothing but the competitive nature of the industry to overcome. “When I auditioned for the role of Ansah, I was up against several other actresses.

But I was determined to prepare myself as best I could, and I researched John Newton on the Internet and in museums, so I could truly understand the film’s subject matter,” she recalls. “I was the youngest of the cast of main characters.”

In addition to professional rivalry, Mbong had to contend with her long-held hydrophobia (fear of water) in order to act the shipwreck scenes in the movie. “It took the grace of God for me to get through those water scenes! I cannot swim and even when I am washing my hair, I panic if water gets into my eyes or my mouth.

There are mornings when I wake up and dread having to take a bath. Water really frightens me. I only like it when it is in a cup!” she says. Other challenges Mbong faced included having to translate the English words in her script into Efik in scenes where she acted as interpreter between Newton and a village chief. “Luckily, the man playing the chief in the film is actually an Efik chief in real life, so he helped me by teaching me the correct words.”

Acting the role of someone who had never had any previous exposure to the English language was also difficult, she says. “But Jeta was always there to guide me, although I did make mistakes when we were rehearsing. At one point I was speaking English too fluently to be convincing, and he reminded me that I had to be more hesitant and behave as if the vocabulary was completely strange to me. I tried my best and, fortunately, it all worked out.”