In fact, she sauntered in first in ‘99, on the set of Louis
Isikafor’sChain, from where she later went on to dazzle fans in one of
the most-watched TV series, Super Story.
She’s not only passionate about acting, but has also set a target
for herself and burgeoning career in the make-believe world.
Persistently striving for excellence in her very mushrooming
career, the single-mother is optimistic for top.
In this riveting encounter with the Ebonyi-born thespian, she
opened up on many issues affecting her, especially life as a single mother and
her planned comeback into Nollywood.
It would be nice to begin with you and your background
My name is Grace Amah. I am Igbo from Ebonyi State; I’m from a
family of four. I’m a Nollywood actress or what else do you want? (Laughs)
Your foray into the movie industry, how did it begin?
Actually, I did my first movie in August 1999. The movie was
entitled Chain, produced by Louis Isikafor and directed by Lancelot
OoduaImasuen.
How did you feel the first time you appeared before the camera?
I must confess, it was fun and exciting. It was dream come true
for me. I was like; God, I’m finally doing what I’ve wanted to do.
Over the years, you have many films to your credit, which of them
brought you to the limelight?
Hmmm, well, I would say the part I played in the popular
soap-opera Super story with the title ‘One Bad Apple’ really pushed me to the
top. But along the line, the home video Chain made me prominent as
well. But to be candid what actually shot me to limelight was Super story. I
guess because it was a serial movie and also a network thing as well, where
everybody at home watched and was very familiar with.
For some time now, you seem to be active in your acting career,
what happened?
No! I don’t agree with that. I am not inactive. I’ve been on
break after having my baby, but I’m fully back into the industry now.
Is your baby a boy or a girl?
He is a boy and doing great (laughs). He is a year plus now,
almost two years, which is the normal time you give after having a baby.
So how do you intend to fit in because obviously they are lots of
young, hot and desperate new stars that are determined to take over Nollywood?
Hmm, I’m not struggling with anybody. I am Grace Amah, what I can
do, I can do, what they can do, they can do as well. We’ve got different things
we have to, what we put on ground. My coming back into the industry by God’s
grace will not be a problem, and I’m not going to find it difficult, because I
know I’m going to come back. In fact, I have fully bounced back for good. And
with time, everyone would surely see that Grace is back.
What makes you feel that you would still fit in at this
time?
I can fit in anywhere, I still have the looks, and I still have my
portable self (laughs), so I am not scared. Well, when you talk about fitting
in, is it the acting? My acting skillsisthere, so, me fitting in is not
difficult for me, it’s just for me to get it straight, get to know what the
script is all about, and get to play the role well.
How do you intend to merge acting and motherhood, because both
jobs are tasking?
It’s all about setting ones priority right. I am not going
to let anything disturb the other. I’m going do it well and it’s not by my
power. I can’t say that it is easy. It’s not easy, but with God on my side, and
everybody placed well, things work well for me.
Okay, everything placed well, at a time you had to travel to other
states to shoot, how do you do it, and who cares for your child in your
absence?
My mom (laughs).Yes she is in Lagos.
And she supports what you do?
Oh yes, everybody supports what I’m doing, and they’ve been
there for me. My parents, sibling, in fact all family members have been
supportive.
How about your fiancé, is he not in the Nigeria?
I’m not married yet, but he is not in the country, my fiancé is
abroad.
Okay, how often do you communicate with him?
When last did you seehim? Why do you want to know how long I see him? It’s our business we
know how we tackle it (laughs). Though I’ve not see him in a while but we talk
to ourselves and get along with our selves. For now that’s all that matters.
And you think that is not a barrier?
No it’s not a barrier; it’s about understanding and working
things out. His job is not here and my own job is here, so it’s just a matter
of working it right and at the appointed time we would get everything done.
Since you came into the industry, what improvement has acting made
in you as a person?
It has done a lot to me. Lots of things, I wouldn’t personally
have been able to do, but with the help of acting or with my fame l was able to
achieve them. What an ordinary person or persons would find difficult to get,
when it is my turn, I am favored. In fact, I don’t have any regrets.
It is glaring that acting has both good and bad sides, what has
acting and fame cost you?
It has cost me my privacy. Yeah! That’s all I can say. As an
actress, when you want to do some things but because you are an actress or you
are famous, you can’t do them for the fear of what people are going to say.
However, I try as much as possible to be myself because at the end of the day,
it’s about me first before any other person and I also put lots of efforts not
to let my fans down.
You have been out of the movie world for some time now, during
those period, what where you doing?
Like I said earlier, I was taking care of myself, kid and home.
When do you plan to produce your own movie?
At the appointed time I’m going to produce my own movie, I’m not
going to produce a movie because everybody is doing it, I’m going todo it at
the appointed time
And when is the supposed appointed time?
When I said the appointed time, appointed time means when God says
it is time to do it, so I am sure you don’t know what God has in stock and what
God’s plan is, you don’t, that’s what I mean by the appointed time.
Many movie stars are into music, do you intend to go into music at
any time
Music? I don’t think so.
You always look good and inviting, how do you handle your fans, especially
the male ones.
Hey thanks for the compliments. Talking about my male fans, well
there is really nothing difficult, it’s not a crime to actually admire the work of
God, It not a crime to admire what I do and especially when you do something
and you are doing it so well an you get people to appreciate you, it’s
really a thing of joy. So, when I work, I work with the mind of passing a
message across and in return get favorable commendations from my fans out
there. So I feel so happy about it, but when they come otherwise, there’s
always something I say in order to chase them away, I used to tell them that
I’m a mother but you know some of them would always be stubborn, say it doesn’t
matter, it not a new thing with them.
How do you handle scandal?
I am not a controversial person. I like living the low key life.
like they say, a golden fish cannot hide, you cannot hide a golden fish, as
much as I have tried to live a low key life, there are still somethings that
would be said about me Grace Amah is a
shy person and likes to live her life as a godly person.
You left your child with your parents for some time, how did
they feel when they found out that you got pregnant out of wedlock and how did
they react?
Like every normal parent would feel, they will feel bad, okay yes,
she didn’t get married first, yeah, but you would also want to agree with me
that it is not everybody that has to get married before having a child. So it
happened, I wouldn’t have because I have to get married first terminate an innocent
child, so what would be better is have the child.
It is said thatyou come from a very strict family, as an actress when
you first noticed you were pregnant, what was your first reaction?
Okay…. I was like yes! (Laughs) what would my parents say but I’m
not a child, I am an adult, so that answers it.
Is true that your guy once denied been the father of your child?
That would be an inhumane person, a monster that would deny his
child, but there was not a situation like that for me.
Are you telling me that there was never a time he denied his
child?
Not at all, how would you deny a child that looks like you.
Before he was born there was nothing like that, you can only deny
a child or a paternity to a child when you know the woman is promiscuous, or
maybe the man is not a responsible person. Those are just the two reasons I
know why a man would deny his child.
Do you have any plans to settle down with him?
Ha... for that one, you would get to hear when time comes.
How soon would that be if I may ask?
I don’t know, but don’t worry, you would get know, you all would
come and cheer me up on that day (laughs).
(Laughs) don’t worry I
will get you one
Your fiancée is not in town; when that feeling comes how do you
deal with it?
What feeling?
Sexual feelings of course
Oh really! That’s when the phone comes in.
Can phone calls do the magic?
Exactly, when I want to hear his voice, then when I hear him, it’s
all fine.
Do conversations satisfy your sexual urges?
Oh… it may not work for you that way, but it works for me.
We heard your fiancé is already married if that is true, why go
for an already married man?
I don’t do such things and to the best of my knowledge, I am not
aware of that.
Are you telling me that you have never heard it anywhere that he
is married or once married?
Like I said earlier, am not aware of it.
It is really a funny question because I have known my man for
years and he has no woman in his life. Period!
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