Meet GENERAL HOSPITAL’s new singing bartender, K.Z. a.k.a. Chikezie Eze….
Soap Opera Digest: First up, we have to ask — where did your name come from?
Chikezie Eze: I got it from my parents [laughs]. My name is actually pronounced “Chi-kez-yeh.” It’s a Nigerian name which translates into “Something well-created by God.” When I was in kindergarten, my teacher constantly mispronounced my name and kept pronouncing it, “Chi-kee-zee.” I vaguely remember coming home every day crying because everyone was mispronouncing my name and eventually, because I had no spine [laughs], I went a long with it and let people call me “Chi-kee-zee,” and it just stuck. My last name is pronounced “Ez-eh.”
Digest: How was your first soap acting gig?
Eze: One thing I realized is they don’t really talk loudly on-set. I’ve done some form of acting but it was theater, where you have to project. With soaps on the other hand, everyone’s whispering. That was the quietest bar in the entire world [laughs]. I never heard a bar so quiet. You could hear a glass clink. I’m on the other side of the room trying to listen for my cue and I have no clue what’s going on. At the same time, I’m trying to act completely natural, like I’m having a conversation with the patrons. I’m praying there aren’t any scenes with my eyes darting to the same place in the scene [laughs].
Digest: Were you nervous?
Eze: I just wanted everything to flow like I wasn’teven there. I don’t want to be the one who comes in and it’s like, “Oh, God. We have to start again for Chikezie.” I wanted it to be as smooth as possible.
Digest: So, in your opinion, how did it go?
Eze: I was surprised. I thought I would suck a lot more than I did [laughs]. The actor who plays Coleman [Blake Gibbons] really took me under his wing and was looking out for me. He was really, really cool.
Digest: How would you rate your experience?
Eze: A 10 out of 10. No complaints whatsoever. They took amazing care of me. I had nothing to worry about the entire time I was there. They really looked after me and I really appreciate that.
Digest: We see you’ve been Twittering with some of the cast, like Kirsten Storms [Maxie].
Eze: I’m a big Kirsten Storms fan. I’ve been a fan of hers from a lot of her work before GH.
Digest: Are you talking about her XENON movies?
Eze: Exactly! I was a huge XENON fan and I’m willing to admit it now [laughs]! I admit I have said “Zedus Lapedus” from time to time. Brandon [Barash, Johnny] is awesome. Let me just tell you that these are the nicest people inthe entire world. I feel so blessed they even considered me at all. I really, honestly am a fan, It blows my mind every time I’m around them and it blows my mind twice to see how nice and down to earth they are.
Digest: What are you up to musically?
Eze: I’m in the process of working on my very first album. It’s been in the works for a while. It’s starting to get annoying because it’slike, “Okay, let’s finish this thing already [laughs].” But that’s why they call it a labor of love. We’re trying to get everything perfect, trying to find the perfect people to work with so we can get the best product. I’m still finding more artists to work with, more producers to work with. I’m still very excitedabout the project. It’s going to be amazing when it’s finally done because the sound will be completely different than what most people would expect me to do. I’m actually going in way more of a rock direction than when I was on the show.
Digest: What did you think about Paula Abdul leaving IDOL?
Eze: Yeah, it’s crazy, really crazy. I am a Paula fan. I love Paula. I know she waspart of why I was such a success. I wouldn’t have been nearly as successful if it wasn’t for her. I’m just glad she was around when I wasthere. Ellen [DeGeneres, Abdul’s replacement] is an amazing talent and an amazing woman and I’m sure she’lladd a lot to the show, but it won’t be the same.
Digest: What was your reaction to the loss of Michael Jackson earlier this year?
Eze: Goodness, talk about the soundtrack of your life. He’s done it for so many people when you think about all the songs he created. You can attach just about every single song to some kind of memory somewhere in your life. It’s crazy, one man who’s done so very much. It’s hard to fathom that’s he’s gone away, but thanks to the legacy he left behind, he will never, ever be forgotten.
Digest: What’s the most important thing you learned from your IDOL experience?
Eze: Until I was on IDOL, I never knew how much people could hate you [laughs]. It was like a crash course on people hating you. I’m pretty sure I was the most hated. People wanted me dead. I’m like, “Wow, I didn’t do anything. I’m just ona TV show, right?”
Digest: So IDOL helped you develop a thick skin?
Eze: Definitely. I grew up tough. I grew up in a place where you’ve got tobe able to take people talking about you, or where I come from, “clowning.” You’ve got to be able to take that and deal with it, and dish it out, too, which actually led to a couple of things on-set with Simon [Cowell]. But it was all good [laughs].
Digest: So, could we get you to come back to GH in the future?
Eze: It would be my pleasure. I would love every second of it. Honestly, when I say it was the most amazing experience, it was. Even though it was short, it was uncomplicated. It was so cool, my acting experience. I can now say that I am a professional actor, right?
