Unhealthy rivalry among female Nollywood stars discouraging – Grace Amah

Having featured in countless movies, Grace Amah is one of the old generations of Nollywood actors whose impact and acting prowess are second to none. The Ebonyi State-born actress, who got her big break after she featured in the hit TV series Super Story’s ‘One Bad Apple’, was sometime ago missing in action for a while. Having returned with a bang, Grace Amah is not stopping at becoming more relevant in the industry. Cornered at a movie set, Grace spoke with

MUTIAT LAWORE on her return to the industry, motherhood, relationship, role in the coming series, ‘It’s a crazy world’,  and advice to young talents, coming into Nollywood.

What was it like coming back into the industry after a long break?

Coming back into the industry wasn’t easy, but the good thing is that we are playing different roles and interpreting roles differently. My fans were excited to have me back. That is a good one and a plus for me. It’s a good thing we have new acts; I was also a new act at the time I came into the industry. I had senior colleagues; I still have senior colleagues so it’s a good thing. I am back for good and coming back again with something huge.

 When you were younger, you usually played roles of a young girl. Now that you are older, you now play the role of a wife and mother. How does that make you feel?

When you play a character very well, they tend to want to see you in other movies like that, forgetting the fact that you are an actor and you are versatile. You can interpret any role. Nothing has changed in my height and size, the only thing I can say is that I am a mother now. Maybe, that is the reason I play mother roles and they now see me as a more mature woman and I could play something different.

Does that mean if you hadn’t become a mother, you would still be stereotyped?

I don’t know. Like I said, nothing has changed in my height and size. Except that I have added weight a little bit. The role I am playing in ‘It’s a crazy world’ is a different role entirely. That is why I find it exciting to play.

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 Juggling acting and motherhood, how has it been? Is he always with you on set?

Coincidentally, my son joined me some weeks back on set because they are on mid-term break. I have a house help and my mum is also available. He stays with them when I am on set.

 Would you love him to be an actor?

That will depend on him; it’s his choice. I have gotten several offers of having to make him act as my son. I wouldn’t want to force him into anything he wouldn’t want to do. I don’t see him in that light anyway. Someone will definitely take after one, maybe the children to come.

 You said may be one of your children to come will take after you. When are they coming?

I have always been a low key person in terms of my relationship. I don’t put my relationship on social media. I don’t think it’s an ideal thing with the industry I found myself in. It’s better to stay out of it and be safe. For the wedding bells, I will send the invitation when the time comes.

What would you say about celebrities, who put their personal lives on social media?

Funnily enough, it’s their choice. Everybody is entitled to whatever he or she wants to do and especially my female folks really. I am not just the person that puts my life on social media. We are now in the age and time where everything you do has to be on social media to be able to either get endorsements or followers. It’s a good thing to put your work out there, but for me putting my relationship on social media is a no-no. My work can be on social media, but not my private life.

 Being a single parent, what has it made you discover about yourself?

I have always been strong, but it made me a stronger person; it made me see life from a different point of view. Years back, I can throw caution to the wind, but today, I cannot do that. There are times I want to take some decisions, but when I think of the fact that I am now a mother and I have someone who is looking up to me, I tend to have a rethink on it. It has taught me a lot; It is still teaching me. I am still learning and putting in my best to be a better person.

 Have you given up on love?

Why should I give up on love? You don’t particularly rule out things just because a particular step you took wasn’t the right one or didn’t favour you. I love to love and whatever has happened hasn’t taken love away from me. It has not, to be honest with you.

How long did it take you to come to this realisation that you won’t allow the experience you had hurt you?

Don’t let me go into details because whatever happened wasn’t like things went bad; the only thing is that we didn’t go to the altar. At the right time, what will play out, will play out in terms of marriage.

What is that one thing you are most proud of about yourself?

The fact that I have a son, a handsome son.

 What is responsible for your youthfulness?

To be honest, I don’t have any regimen; God has been awesome. I don’t say ‘this is what I do when I wake up’. I am not a makeup person. I tend to go natural as often as possible. When you see me outside when I am not shooting, I am just myself the way God created me except that I have clothes on. It’s just been God. People ask me this question a lot. I don’t drink; I don’t smoke. I stay away from things that will make me age.

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 What advice do you have for young talents coming into Nollywood?

I will say established Nollywood stars make fans desperate. I don’t want to mention names; they only follow what they see. The industry I looked forward to coming into was an industry of potentials. When I got into the industry my vision was to be a role model to the younger ones. I also got into the industry because I wanted to fend for myself and for my family. Fast forward to this moment, there is a whole lot of competition among my colleagues, especially the  females in the industry , you want to outshine yourselves; you want to outshine others; you want them to feel ‘I am the best, this is me’.

I attended auditions when I came into the industry. Sometimes, I wake up as early as 6am, go back home, go do my house chores and then go back for the auditions proper. After 20 auditions, you don’t get to see your name. When you look back at those days knowing God has smiled on you today, you don’t want to throw those years away. Some of us got into the industry on a platter of gold, maybe you were just walking on the roadside and someone puts you on a movie.

Lo and behold, the movies sell well and you become a star. When they see that their senior colleagues are doing these things, they tend to want to go nude or do things in the bid to outshine others. The competition is so high and we need to cut it down because we are not encouraging our younger ones at all. We are making them not to see life as it should be, step by step, taking it one step at a time. They just want to come in and become stars overnight. That is what I can say about it. We need to help our up and coming ones; we are also guilty of it.

Can you tell us about your role in the series, ‘It’s a crazy world’?

I am playing the character Kemi, the second wife of Chief Don Chucks, and it’s been fun so far. The script has a lot of content and quite interesting and has a lot of comic relief as well. It’s been sweet with the research I have put into the character, making me want to play it so well. The character I am playing is a Yoruba lady, who goes all the way to get what she wants.

How has it been for you playing the role of a Yoruba lady?

I am not Yoruba; I am Igbo but I was born and brought up in Lagos. Like I said some days back, I am surprised I am flowing this much with Yoruba on set. It’s been good.