Background
I am Jackie Appiah, a Ghanaian but was born in Canada in the early 80s. We moved back to Ghana in 1993. I had a very happy childhood with lots of friends.
One of the biggest actresses in Ghana
I feel blessed and favoured. God has honoured me with this precious talent. He has made me known across the globe, and I have made people laugh and cry. I am happy to be in this profession and I am happy my people appreciate the work that I do, especially my fans.
Me and Nollywood
Nigeria is like my second home. I think the acceptance was buoyed by the fact that I won the best supporting actress at Africa Movie Academy Awards. I came back the following year, got an award as the best actress in leading role and each time I came around, producers contacted me to take up roles in their movies and that was it.
First Nigerian movie
The first Nollywood movie I took part in was Sleepwalker, it was a joint collaboration between Ghana and Nigeria. It featured Genevieve Nnaji, Ramsey Noah, and Mercy Johnson to mention but a few.
Nollywood and Ghollywood
They are both growing in the right direction but I have noticed that life in Nollywood is more upbeat. For instance, whenever I am in Lagos, everything is moving fast! Nigerians are hasty when doing things while Ghanaians are laid back and relaxed. So, when I am in Nigeria, I double my speed and when I get back to Ghana, I relax again.
Journey into acting
I started acting at the age of 12 in my local church group. However, I became a professional actress when I starred in the TV series, Things We Do for Love. I have since evolved from that and learned a lot from everything around me including mistakes. As we grow older, a lot of things change and we mature in experience. I am a changed person, older, stronger, and wiser. My rise has been due to plenty of hard work and commitment to what I do. I always have it at the back of my mind that everything is possible. Impossibility does not exist in my dictionary. Sometimes, the best things happen when you just go with your instincts. I wouldn’t forget my team and crew, fellow actors and actresses who all contributed to where I am today. Above all, talent is a gift from God, who shows me the way and leads me to the light.
Challenges
Being in the limelight was not something I was prepared for and it is not as easy as everyone thinks. I would say fame is the most difficult thing to control because your life is no longer private. The media is constantly on your trail and people think all sorts of things about you. These are things that are beyond your control, you can’t get a hang of them. Sometimes the tales are so terrible you just want to sit in your room and cry! Sometimes these stories get to you but over time I have learnt to ignore them.
Me and Michael Bobby Obodo
He is simply a colleague and there is no truth in the allegation that we are dating. It’s false! Because people see us together does not mean we are romantically inclined. It is just a figment of some people’s imagination. Some people are up to mischief. Controversies no longer get to me. I have outgrown many things.
Marriage
That is my private live. I don’t go personal when granting interviews but I am a mother.
Fashion
I just wear anything that looks good on me. I love to experiment and I like to wear designers.
Leisure
I relax at home by watching movies I have done in the past.
–Punch Nigeria
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