Racheal Emem Isaac is a woman of many talents—an actress, model, multimedia personality, and host who has carved her space across film, radio, TV, and digital platforms. Known for her vibrant energy and passion, Racheal approaches every project as an opportunity to tell stories that matter and to give voice to the experiences that often go unheard.
Her latest project, Bloody Mary, is a 5-episode YouTube series that shines a light on dysmenorrhea, or painful menstrual cramps, an issue millions of women deal with every month. Through candid conversations and real-life stories, the series seeks to break the silence around menstrual health, build community, and remind women they are not alone.
We sat down with Racheal to talk about Bloody Mary, her journey in the media industry, and her vision for the future.
You’ve built a career across film, TV, radio, and digital. How has working in so many spaces shaped you as a creative?
Working in so many spaces within the industry has helped me to better understand how all that go down behind the scenes to ensure that what we see on screen is picture perfect. It has really helped me appreciate all that the guys behind the scenes go through and put up with, now I know how to negotiate better for my crew guys and anytime something happens, I put myself in their shoes and it makes my work and theirs easier.
Tell us about Bloody Mary. What inspired you to create this series, and why was it important to you?
One fine day after wrapping on set, I decided to go to the market and saw this very ripe pawpaw and decided to get one for myself. I hadn’t eaten papaya in forever and that day felt like a good day because why not. So I get home and cut the papaya, leave it in the freezer to cool and then about 30 mins later, I get in the car cos I wanted to spend the weekend at my sister’s. I had some papaya and even filmed the process only for me to start having contractions almost immediately. Mind you, this was just a few days after my last period so it didn’t make sense, shortfly after that I started bleeding . That experience got me talking to myself in front of my mirror and begging my MP to just spare my life cos the pain was unbearable, it hit me some minutes later that I was acting insane and I thought about what it would feel like if people saw me in that state and the rest as they say, is history. Bloody Mary was and is still very important because we don’t tell our stories as women. I want every woman to know that they are not alone. Everything you feel, another woman feels or has felt it in her life. Knowing that you are not suffering alone will make it easier for you to open up to another woman so you don’t die in silence. When I put out the Shortfilm, I got hundreds of messages from women confirming that they’ve had to talk to their periods like someone in the room with them.
Menstrual health is still a sensitive topic in many communities. What do you hope this project changes in the conversation?
I hope that Bloody Mary changes the way people see periods and women. I hope that every one will be kinder to women when it is that time of the month, I hope that communities will have shops and places where girls and women can walk into and not have to pay to get sanitary towels. I hope that people would understand the pain women have to deal with. I hope that a 14 year old sees it and understands that she’s not weird for feeling the way she feels. I hope that someone can start a conversation about periods and people will contribute without feeling weird. “I hope every woman can beat her chest and say “Na woman I be I no kill person”
The series features real women sharing personal stories. What moments stood out most to you while filming?
Hmmmm. The moments that stood out to me were moments when I turned and saw other women who understood what a cast was talking about, moments when a cast was sharing her story with me and I felt every word she said cos I had been there before. Moments when crew members just couldn’t help but feel the pain of the women. Though this wasn’t on set but women reaching out to let me know that Bloody Mary had visited and they thought of me…I could go on and on but let’s move on 😂
Producing Bloody Mary must have come with challenges. What was the toughest part of bringing it to life?
The toughest part of bringing Bloody Mary to life was getting a man who would want to be a part of such a sensitive topic. I had an image in my head and didn’t want just any man. I wanted a man who had felt his wife’s pain, someone who has lived with women who could relate and someone who has daughters. I wanted everyone to feel included. A man telling us his own side of the story will make it more relatable for other men. That was the only challenge we had. We eventually got one and his episode is the 3rd one.
How has working on this project changed your own perspective on menstrual health and women’s issues?
working on this project has made me even respect women more, especially mothers. They went through periods every month and handling it like champs to the point where we had no idea what menstruation was. Now I know that there’s still a lot more waiting for me to experience and explore and a friend said this to me today that when it is time for me to go through a phase, that it will amaze me the strength i will get along the way. It just proved to me that we don’t even know what we are capable of as women. It is a beautiful yet scary truth.
Your career goal is bold—to be the first Nollywood actress to win an Oscar. How does a project like Bloody Mary bring you closer to that dream?
I have looked at the stories I want to tell, they are bold stories that the world is waiting for, I strongly believe that the stories I tell will attract international bodies to our industry…Stories that will get people to see themselves differently and those are stories that win Oscars. So there you have it.
You wear many hats—actress, host, model, producer. Which role feels most natural to you, and why?
Acting and Producing, which is weird and I’ll explain why. Acting gives me an opportunity to live different lives by becoming different characters, while producing gives me an opportunity to oversee the big picture. I like to be in charge of things as a producer and also love to rid myself of any personal responsibility and take on someone else’s life as an actor. Very weird!!!
The entertainment industry can be tough. What keeps you motivated to keep pushing forward?
whew!! Tough is an understatement, I just tell myself that the level I want to attain can only be achieved by not giving up, I see the future, it is very bright so I take a break, recharge and come back even stronger. Tough times don’t last only tough people do.
Looking beyond Bloody Mary, what’s one project from your past that remains closest to your heart?
Oh…A project close to my heart is definitely ‘Silent Tumors’ a documentary about fibroids that I co-produce and is currently is post production. That is another story that will break the stigma and silence around fibroids. The comments and messages we get from women daily on our page just reminds me of why I wanted to tell women’s stories. It is a beautiful feeling.
What kinds of stories do you think Nollywood still needs to tell more of?
I think Nollywood needs to tell our original stories…Stories we see ourselves in. Stories that will help someone go to bed at night, knowing that they matter. I’m tired of seeing love over and over. Yes, Love is beautiful but what about stories about men’s health, women’s health. Stories about our history. Things that define us as Nigerians and Africans. Stories that will promote our rich culture and food, our people, our fears and stories that will answer all the questions we have as a people, without fear of who will cancel us.
Finally, what message do you hope viewers carry with them after watching Bloody Mary?
I want viewers to know that women are human beings o, they deserve grace too. I want every women to know that though we have normalized pain just cos that’s what we were taught because ‘Hebrew Women’, Menstrual Cramps is not normal. If you feel it, go run an ultrasound and see your doctor immediately. Dysmenorrhea is a symptom of something else.
Na the message be that. Thank you!
Closing Note
With Bloody Mary, Racheal Emem Isaac is sparking a much-needed conversation and showing that storytelling can break barriers and heal communities. Her career is only just unfolding, but she’s already proving that she’s here to leave a mark. As she chases her dream of global recognition, one thing stands clear—Racheal is not just telling stories, she’s rewriting the way they are heard
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