Interview: Jackie Appiah Says ‘I’m Not Pregnant’

Spirited Ghanaian Star Actress ‘Jackie Appiah’ is one of the few celebrities who have a good empathy with the media. But for some time now, she has been missing in the media radar prompting the observers to ask questions as to her where about.

Her short absence from the media spotlight coincided with a rumour that the Star Actress was pregnant.

GhanaCelebrities.Com caught up with the actress considered by many as the best actress in the country in Weija, near Kosoa busily on location shooting to find out if indeed she is pregnant and also what has recently kept her away from the media.

Are you really pregnant? “No! I’m not pregnant? Are you the one who impregnated me?” the multiple award winner comically answered back with a question amidst laughter. Laughing uncontrollably, she said: “You are now here; I’m I pregnant or look pregnant?”

“I have no idea. I’m surprised why someone will think I’m pregnant. It’s not a bad thing if I’m pregnant but at the moment that’s a false rumour. When I’m pregnant I will tell them but now I’m not pregnant.”

“Maybe it’s because I have been away and they haven’t heard anything recently about me. I don’t know who came up or formulated that rumour. Of all the rumours - I’m surprised they are saying I’m pregnant. I was surprised when I heard it because I’m on set shooting now.”

The Ghana Movie Award 2010 Best Actress co-winner said that, at the right time, she will get pregnant.

“I have been out of town. I went on a tour to meet up with my fans in United States. I visited Hollywood then I got back to town after almost a month in the United States. I also went to Dublin to meet up with my fans. I returned to Ghana shortly.”

After returning to Ghana, the owners of UB Relaxer, Nouvelle Parfumerie Gandour took her to Turkey for sightseeing for being a good ambassador for their brand.

“I couldn’t make it to Cannes Film Festival because the day I arrived in Ghana was the same day they were leaving for France. I have been away for so long that, I missed my family and my son. So I couldn’t just leave them behind and travel again.”

She continued: “I also had work waiting for me in Ghana. So basically that’s why I couldn’t make it to France and why I’m not in the news. I’m also shooting now.”

Jackie like many others, after attending a show in the United States seized the opportunity to interact, mingle and party with hundreds of her fans at Atlanta Georgia and other parts of the United States.

In America, the star actress met lots of her fans in several Ghanaian communities. She also met Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago and one of the celebrated American Hip Hop artiste; Redman.

She shared the same hotel with the former at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square. She met the latter whiles shopping at the Louis Vinton shop in New York. They exchanged pleasantries and she took pictures with them.

On why she visited Hollywood, she said the C.E.O of Venus Films, Alhaji Sallam Mumuni tasked her to visit the movie powerhouse when she travels to the States. After getting the chance to attend an event in United States, she decided to visit places at the Universal Studios.

Whiles there, she visited several places including where the Body Guard movie was shot and also visited celebrity houses.

“I was impressed with making of movies. It made me appreciate the movie industry more. The effort and what people go through to shoot international movies. But my most interesting part was the making of movies and also seeing the 3D of King Kong.” She said.

Many actresses aim at starring in Hollywood movies, Jackie Appiah is not an exception. For her, it’s not necessarily about going to the movie powerhouse. She just wants to be part of any good production and hopes to get on a bigger screen.

She said “If God wants me to star in Hollywood movie then no problem. I don’t mind being here in Ghana. All I want us to do are good productions. If you are shooting in Ghana and you are using the same kind of equipments they use in Hollywood, then I’m fine with that.

It’s not necessarily going to Hollywood. It’s just at the end of the day, everybody will buy the movies and the movies can be viewed in Theatres worldwide. That’s my ambition. It’s not basically Hollywood.”

Jackie Appiah is impressed with that fact that, most of the movie producers in Ghana have started buying different types of lenses that are used in Hollywood. “I just want us to get in a bigger scale and my wish is to get on a bigger scale as well. We are using good cameras now, good lighting, we have good equipments. I have noticed that most of our producers have started buying types of lenses that they use in Hollywood.”

About her relationship with media, this is what she has to say “I don’t know my relationship with the media. I think you have to ask the media people but for me I smile to everybody. I never frown to anybody. I welcome everybody, media, fans, friends, family and colleagues at work. I smile and welcome everybody.”

Many people have castigated a cross section of the media for always favoring her and for only projecting positive things about her. But for her, it’s because she’s always happy and have a smile on her face. She said she’s approachable because she always has a smile on her face which charms the media professionals.

The never-in-a-bad-mood Actress said, she likes to crack jokes, making it easier for people to approach her and talk to her.

Last year, Jackie gave scholarship to two of the contestants at the maiden edition of TV3’s Talented Kids. Aside that, she always does her personal charity works that she doesn’t bring to the limelight.

She goes to various orphanage homes to donate stuff to them that she doesn’t bring to the limelight. If it’s necessary for her to invite journalists to any of her donations, she does not hesitate.

On her charity works, she said: “I don’t feel like talking about it. Sometimes I don’t like blowing my own horn. At the right time, yes when it’s needed for journalists to come around and observe but sometimes I love to drive there and give them money without announcing it. I don’t like to announce it most of the times.

Contrary to what people think, Jackie is fluent in Twi. Good script needs a good director to interpret it well to make a great movie. So before she accepts a script, she takes several things into consideration.

First, she must read the story and see what it entails before she can charge or accept to be part.

Aside, the story, Jackie takes into consideration the cast, the director, the costumier as well as the crew that she is going to work with. She explained why the considerations are so important to her:

“You have to know what you are going to do. You have to know the impact of what you are going to do. What if you charge peanuts and you are asked to step on glass, are going to do it? She asked.

“After knowing who is going to direct the movie. The next question is who is going to costume the cast and who is going to edit the movie. Cast and crew also come into consideration because I want a good movie to come out at the end of the day.

You can have a good story but a bad director and the movie won’t come out nicely, so all of these have to be taken into considerations.” Jackie said to wrap up the