By Benjamin Njoku

Popular actor cum producer Emelu Simon Chibuzor, who’s famed for helping many actors find their feet in the industry, has recounted the risk he took while trying to make a star out of one of Nollywood’s bad boys, Zubby Michael. Sharing his story in a chat with NollyNow, Chibuzor said the first time he set his eyes on Zubby Michael, he vowed to change his story in the industry.

Recalling how his path and that of Zubby Michael crossed, Chibuzor said he saw him at a movie location where he was playing a minor role and fell in love with his acting skills.

“I liked his body carriage, and I told everyone I would look for this guy, work with him, and make him a star,” he recounted.

Speaking further, Chibuzor said he made good his promise of making Zubby Michael a star when he featured him in his 2021 blockbuster movie titled, “ The Three Widows.” Since then, he hasn’t stopped featuring Zubby Michael in most of his movies in either lead or sub-lead roles. But that was not without a costly price.

According to him, “I made sure I gave him challenging roles. I took the risk and even lost money while projecting him. I was happy at the end of the day, my dream came true.”

Apart from Zubby Michael, Chibuzor also helped other actors to hit the limelight through his Pressing Forward Productions, which has produced over 100 Nollywood movies.

The likes of Queen Nwokoye, Onyii Alex, Chika Ike, Jerry Willaims, Precious Festus Chamsa, Holychild Okorie among others owe their stardom to Chibuzor, who’s often labelled as a star marketer, talent finder on Instagram. “I am proud wherever I go in Nollywood, while people say I made Zubby Michael. It gives me so much joy and encourages me to discover more talents.” A dogged actor, Chibuzor, who hails from Imo state is the CEO of Pressing Forward Productions, through which he has produced many blockbuster movies and helped many actors to hit stardom without stress.