Olisa Judith Chinonye, better known as Real Judy, is a talented Nigerian content creator, actress, presenter, and business woman who is quickly making a name for herself. An indigene of Orlu, Imo State, Judy has been steadily rising in the entertainment industry.
In this exclusive interview with The Entertainer, she discusses her journey into the industry, the challenges she’s faced, and her expectations for future relationships.
You were born in Lagos; where did your core Igbo accent come from?
A lot of people don’t believe I was born in Lagos. I can speak Yoruba. I have been featured in a Yoruba movie before. The Eastern accent came from my love for my culture. I partly schooled in the East at Awo-Omamma, Imo State. I love the people there and the accent as well.
Each time I go to my grandma’s place for the holidays, I’m usually so drawn to and engrossed in the way they speak the Igbo language. I like the way they speak, and I just decided to put it into my content as a spice.
Schooling in the East at some point had an impact on my career because I was able to tap from my experience there and infuse it into my content, which makes it outstanding and different.
Can you share your journey into content creation?
I started content creation last year in January 2023. It was in that month that I made my first viral video. It was on ‘the names of boys that would not be receiving Valentine’s Gifts’ – I made and uploaded the video in January, and it earned massive recognition.
Did you know the video was going to go viral?
It came as a shock to me because I didn’t see it coming. It wasn’t the niche that I planned for myself. I wanted to be a proper skit maker, dropping skit videos. But then, the niche came, and I had to uphold it. I saw a video randomly from gossip mill where I saw a guy sharing similar content, and then I liked it, and I decided to recreate it with more spice and with a costume. I decided to use a special costume to make the video, and I made use of a special accent. I had about five thousand followers, and I posted the video on an evening and by midnight, I got to ten thousand followers. My followership continued to rise till now, and I have been consistent and thriving.
Before the popular content that announced you, were you already into showbiz?
Yes, I was. I used to be a presenter for Startimes. I was a show host on Startimes in 2022. I worked with them for about a year. I am still a presenter, and I am still going to give it a shot because I enjoy being a presenter and hosting shows and events. I still have to retrace that. I am still trying to build my platform, but I’m going to return to my roots.
Have you ever gotten a negative comment that broke you or one that made you regret going into entertainment?
I am a very hard nut to crack. I have seen a whole lot, especially more about my accent a lot of people think I talk like that. Most times, when I’m trending, I go through the comment section, and I see people bashing my voice with some negative comments.
Most times, I laugh it off. For me, it is very entertaining. It doesn’t break me. The comments are usually very entertaining, seeing people attack me for things that I am not. I’m not sure how to explain it, but it is very amusing when people take the accent thing very seriously. It is comical. It’s not negativity for me.
What inspires you?
I am my inspiration to be very factual. I have not even tapped a quarter of my talent yet, to be honest. I love the entertainment space so much. I feel like it is a space where I excel 100%.
Sometimes, I am even amazed by some of the things I do and the manners in which I execute them. But I am yet to tap my talent fully. My background inspires me. The family I come from inspires me to excel, to do better in life, and to take my future seriously.
What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a female content creator in Nigeria?
When I came into the industry and started to gain limelight, it wasn’t easy because I look better in person than what people see online. So, it was crazy that I had to learn the hard way. It almost felt like my colleagues wanted to take advantage of me. When they see me, they applaud and use the scope of wanting to enhance or assist me, to get to me, and to take advantage of me. I have a couple of people in the industry who have opened my eyes to these things because I get them a lot. So, being a famous content creator in this space is not easy because a lot of people will want to take advantage of you. They utilize different means to get to you.
It is crazy, and it almost feels like nothing good comes easy. The space is actually very toxic, and everybody is selfish. You just have to be smart enough to hold your ground in the industry because what you see online is deeper than the regular. The faces you see online coming out to be amazing are not what they are. It is something else. I feel like to excel and to thrive, you need to be very smart and skilled.
Do you mean to take advantage of you sexually?
Yes, most of the sexual harassment that I have faced were from some of my colleagues. Some are not in the industry. Some even came from people I look up to as father figures in the industry. They are the people that would want to take advantage of somebody in one way or another. You just have to be smart about it. Because once you start, that is how your news will continue to spread and haunt you forever. I would say I have been very careful in the industry. I love my reputation.
What do you consider your biggest success so far?
The growth is a success for me. I am recognized for my talents, and I stand out in my field. Once people hear my voice, they know it is me. It is an outstanding characteristic for me.
I can afford things and do more for myself as well. I got an apartment for myself on the Island this year, and I got a landed property in Abuja. I am looking forward to getting an automobile for the road for my birthday. I can afford a trip outside of the country for the first time.
I am not there yet. But summarizing it all growth is the biggest success for me.
Do you think you will get married to someone in the industry?
No. But sometimes it appears so. Because most times when I meet some of my colleagues, I see my energy matching, the humour that comes, and the vibe.
But right now, I don’t think so. I don’t see myself marrying from the industry. I want a low-key man who supports me and is doing well for himself.
He must be fully supportive. He must be an ‘Odogwu’, intelligent and caring. He just has to be a spec because I’m having enough stress already in the industry, and I just need a man that suits me.
So, are you single?
I have a couple of guys that are on to me. But I am still observing. I am single at this point. I don’t know where to place it. I am still checking. You can call it a situationship; a talking stage. I am currently seeing somebody, actually, but I can say that I am still single until he does the needful. In fact, when the right man comes, I don’t think I will be single anymore.
Tell us more about your other businesses.
I’ve been into a couple of businesses. I’ve been into skincare and clothing. But next year, I am looking towards launching a business that is properly defined, which speaks about my personality. It is a restaurant, and it is going to be launched next year by the special grace of God.