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| L-R: Forson and Appiah when the going was good |
What have you been doing recently?
Nothing
much; just finished shooting some movies so I’m kind of holidaying right now.
And will be off to some locations later. It’s basically about acting and
movies. That’s how I live my life.
Nigeria is like your second home now, how has it been
in the industry?
Nigeria
is always home and Ghana is always home to Nigerians. It has been like that for
a long time. The industry is great, I’ve been fortunate to feature in some
great movies and work with great actors, actresses, directors and producers and
I’m looking forward to working with more.
One of
your most recent Nigerian movies was “Phone Swap”; how did you get the role?
I did not
audition to get the role. Kunle Afolayan and I have been friends for a while
and when we discussed and I told him I was going to work with him one day. So I
was in the States when he sent me a mail and told me about this movie he was
doing and that he would love me to be in it. When I got on set I discovered that
people on set were wondering why a Ghanaian actress they didn’t know has been
flown from Ghana to be in that movie and I was cool with everybody. There was
this weird feeling but Kunle got into it and sorted everything out. Me and
Wole, my love interest in the movie bonded and then it was all fun.
You weren’t welcome on the set because you are from
Ghana?
Yes, I won’t say I was not welcomed; I wouldn’t put it
like that; I would say they didn’t quite warm to me at first. That is what we
basically see in the Nigerian movie industry though. I don’t think the industry
has accepted us fully. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of actors and actresses and
movie personalities have been great, but generally, a lot of them have not
started getting used to us.
Does this happen to Nigerian actors and actresses in
Ghana also?
Maybe, there will never be somewhere like your first
home.
How did you become an actress?
It was just something out of a hobby. I have always
loved acting, so the first chance I had to do it for money I jumped on it and
that was how I stared. Acting for me started in school, in school plays
and dramas.
What schools did you attend?
I had my educations first in the United States then
later Ghana. I had my primary education at Wilmore Elementary School in
Kentucky, United States. At the age of nine we relocated to Ghana and continued
at Akosombo International School. I had my secondary education at Saint
Louis Secondary School, Kumasi. Then I finished at the University of Ghana
where I graduated with a degree in English Language and Information
Studies.
If you weren’t an actress what would you have become?
That is an easy one for me. My dad is a reverend so I
grew up doing a lot of missionary works, going to villages doing a lot of
outreach. That was my life, so I knew that was what I was going to do. But the
good thing about it now is that I have the opportunity to still be doing that.
I partnered with an NGO now to rescue children from traffickers. The NGO is
called “Rights to be Free” and we have rescued about 10 children this year. We
just go to the boats and speak with these fishermen. We get to stay in the
water for hours looking for the children on the water.
You rescued one boy called Emmanuel
Yes, Emmanuel is probably one of my favourites because
we had just gone to one of the villages and as we were going I saw him and he
was holding a bag and he really looked out of place. I just looked at him and
had this feeling that he was not okay, so I went to him to ask him where he was
going and he said he was going to the next village. We asked him what he was
going to do and his story was not adding up at all. Eventually we got him into
the boat and the boy was just shaking and it turned out that he had escaped
from his master. Where we were going was where his master was, so he thought we
were taking him back. But we were able to report to the police so Emmanuel is
in one of our children’s homes.
Have you
ever played any role and fear your dad who’s a reverend wouldn’t be proud of it?
I feel so bad when I’m asked such a question because
every movie has its own story. My parents really don’t care too much because
they raised me to be very opinionated and they knew what they were getting. I’m
sure my dad would watch me kissing in movies and be very uncomfortable but of course
it’s just a movie. But there was this one case that nearly ruined me and
my family. It was a sex scandal which I hardly talk about. It was about a
non- existent sex tape, which never was. The first time, I read about the story
I actually laughed because it was a very funny story. But it was no longer
funny when my dad heard it. My father suffered, his faith and health were
shaken to the roots. I was alarmed at the speed the story spread and it got to
a point where some of my fans and most Ghanaians vowed to throw stones at me. I
got my management to investigate the story and they found out that the
journalist fabricated the story. The truth later came out and my integrity and
that of my family was restored.
Is it true what they say about pastor’s children being
very stubborn?
I think it is because of the too much expectations
from people. My dad is a reverend not me, I’m just his daughter, so I’m not a
reverend. I will never do anything to make my parents ashamed. We are just
opinionated and probably more open-minded than most people.
Ghanaian movies are said to be very raw; why is that?
I guess Ghanaians are more open. We embrace stuffs.
People kiss, people have sex, I think it is how it is done. I have watched a
lot of Nigerian movies also that have sex in them. Ghanaians are more liberal
while Nigerian filmmakers are still very careful of the things they do because
of their audience.
What would you not do in a movie?
Never say
never because I wouldn’t want my words to hold me back. But I hope I don’t
overdo it. As open minded and independent as I am, I still have responsibilities
to people. There are certain things I wouldn’t want to do. I don’t want to go
fully nude in a movie. I pray not to be asked to do, but I will never say
never.
What has been the highlight of your acting career so
far?
Winning an AMAA in 2010 was easily the highlight of my
career. It was so funny that I had taken a break from acting because I didn’t
like the quality of scripts I was getting. Then Shirley Frimpong Manso, the CEO
of Sparrow Productions who is also my friend; we have done something together
before then in the television series “Different Shades of Blue” called me
again for another project. I didn’t think twice because of the respect I have
for Frimpong so I took the role. The movie was called “Scorned” and it was my
role in this movie that gave me my first AMAA nomination. I thought that was
the best I could get. Then, I starred in another movie entitled “Perfect
Picture” which finally won me the “Best Actress in a Lead Role” at the 2010
AMAA.
You were also appointed an ambassador
Yes and it was such a great honour for me. It has been
a great blessing because people I look up to are now suddenly looking up to me.
It takes time to get used to that. I am really honoured to be in this position.
For me, the Africa Movie Academy Awards embodies everything I believe in as an
actress and producer. There is need to project Africa to the world. It’s about
time we started telling our stories.
What would you say have contributed to the kind of
person you are today?
I will attribute it largely to good family values. I
come from a very creative family. My father is a Reverend, while my mother was
a house wife. In their little way, I saw beauty in everything they did. I had strong
values. My parents allowed me to have an opinion. But in having that opinion,
they checked it. So, I respect people’s opinions.
How true is the report of a fight between you and
Jackie Appiah?
What happened was that we were both joint winners at
the AMAAs but back in Ghana reports were going round that Jackie won the award
and I only escorted her onstage to collect the award. I didn’t know who told
them that, but I was not ready to say anything, thank God they later knew the
truth. I never fought Jackie Appiah. We never had any confrontation. I and
Jackie never had any relationship and I don’t know where that story came from.
She’s a good actress, and she’s a nice person but we are not friends. People
want to see two of us walk hand-in-hand, it won’t happen.
Do you get a lot of admirers because of your figure?
I get a lot, my curve drives men crazy. But growing up
I wasn’t so proud of it. I pass through that stage as a teenager when I thought
I wasn’t a beautiful girl. But I got to realize that I was the most beautiful
girl in the world. Confidence is to be built. It comes with a process of
self-realization. It is either you let people’s perception define you or to
tell them to leap off. It is a choice I make and I thank God I’m being
complimented a lot. If you come to me and say something bad, I will look at you
from head to toe and find that one thing that I will tell that will sink you
right below the ground and ask you how that made you feel. This is to make
people realize how bad they make people feel with uncomplimentary comments. I
have embraced how I am and I’m better now. No matter how we are, tall,
short, dark, fair, we all want to change something in our bodies; it is who we
are as humans. We are always popping pills to lose or to gain weight. But in
striving to be perfect you have to accept who you are and work with it.
From all the admirers, have you seen the man, are you
in any relationship?
I have not seen any man yet and I don’t want to answer
any question on my relationship status because people might misinterpret me.
Are you not under any pressure to get married?
None at
all. I am so fortunate to be born into my family and to have the kind of
parents I have. Marriage is great but I will never be pressured to go into it.
My mother would advise me to wait until the right man comes. I’m prepared to
wait. Yes, I get occasional passes, but I will marry when the time is ripe for
me.
Who’s
your best Nollywood actress?
Ivie
Okujaye. She’s is such a talented actress and a very vibrant and energetic one.
STEVE DEDE- EE/SE
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