I can expose my back and legs. I can expose the whole of my back

The dream of every parent is for their children to follow in their foot steps but not for popular actress, Laide Bakare. For reasons best known to her, Laide has insisted that her daughter would rather not become an actress like her. In as much as she wants her to become famous, it would be in another profession not acting.

The Oyo State-born actress and University of Ibadan graduate of Theatre Arts opened up to The Entertainer on her rise to stardom, her sex life and relationship with pop singer, 9ice. Excerpts

What is the craziest thing a fan has done to you?

They said I am a short woman. But I am not short. As a matter of fact, my stature doesn't stop me from being who I am. But it can be embarrassing sometimes.

How long have you been married?

Yes, I am married for so long. I don't like discussing my family, that's my private life. I have one kid. But I don't want to talk about that.

How do you strike balance between your job and the home front?

It is God. I won`t talk about my family because that's what I so much cherish. I so much treasure my daughter and my husband. I treasure them a lot. I avoid anything that will affect them. I don't want to have problem with my family. I don't want to put them in the public eye. I would rather keep it to myself.

Most men would like to date a pretty lady like you. How do you handle stubborn male admirers?

Most of them know that I am married. Even if they are crazy about me, they should know that I am married. Actually, there is nothing to talk about them. I don't like talking about man or woman affairs. It's one thing I don't really like to talk about.

What challenges do you encounter as an actress?

The only time I had challenges was when I was in the university. It was not easy struggling with education and work. Struggling with my education and the birth of my baby was also a challenge. At a time, I needed to leave school to go and have my baby so, all those things were challenging. I had to travel out of the country to meet my husband and then come back. I was always going out and coming in.

How do you cope since your husband is based abroad?

We always keep in touch. We travel to meet him over there and he also comes home to be with us. That's how we have been coping. We are here today, we are in America tomorrow. But it has been fun. We create time for work, either his work or my own work. It might not work for other families but it works for us.

Can you fight over love?

I believe in love but not to the extent of fighting or committing suicide or even killing someone over it because life must go on. I don't believe that love is blind. I believe in love but you have to open your eyes widely to see it.

Is there any part of your body you cannot expose no matter the offer?

Yes, of course, my private part. I have to keep it, I can`t expose it. But I can expose my back and legs. I can expose the whole of my back. That's all.

Your husband wouldn't feel bad about exposing any part of your body?

No, he can`t feel bad. He loves what I am doing as an actress. He encourages me and he wants me to do more.

How did you feel about your first kiss on screen?

I cannot remember it because it was not memorable. It was a long time and it was not passionate.

When did you start having sex?

I didn't start having sex at early age. It took me a very long time even though it was something I had always been looking forward to. I looked up to it almost three years before I eventually had sex. It wasn't a nice experience with my first boyfriend. We dated for six years and we had sex after four years of our relationship. I was 18 when I met my first boyfriend. I was still a virgin then, even while in the movie industry for close to three years. I think the first time I had sex I was about 21 years old. It was what I had been looking forward to, but it wasn`t a nice experience.

What makes a good actress?

It's the ability to interprete all the roles given, any role at all.

Would you allow your daughter to go into movies?

No. I don't like it, may be, something else but definitely not the movie industry. I don't know why I don't want to involve my daughter in that line. It is not easy handling things and all that. I love my daughter to be popular, but probably in other profession not in the movie industry.