My interview with top Ghanaian
actress – Yvonne Nelson-was a revelation in so many ways. Of the leading
Nollywood stars, Yvonne is among those I had not had a close
relationship with.
I had watched her from afar, seen countless number of her movies and
had always thought she was a great and talented actress – someone who
combined poise, beauty and style. I had also heard of some unsavory
things ascribed to her – the rumors of sexual orientation which some say
verged between pure lesbianism and bi-sexualism – all manner of
shenanigans that had been whispered and published about her.
Some years ago, she came out with a movie, “Heart of Men”, in which
she seemed to have appeared in frontal nudity– a development that set
off a firestorm of protest among Nollywood lovers –with many condemning
the exploitation of graphic sexual images to promote and sell movies –
which was a deviation of what Nollywood had always been seen to
represent: a family friendly entertainment medium.
Added to an alleged fight for supremacy between her and fellow
Ghanaian actress – Jackie Appiah – a development that was said to have
resulted in her much publicized one-year ban from Nollywood- you begin
to have a profile of an actress who may come across as a diva and
somewhat opinionated.
It was with mindset that I welcomed the chance to interview Yvonne
Nelson, when her representative called and informed me that the pretty
actress was in New York, and would love to talk to me. And so, on the
balmy and unseasonably warm evening of March, 2012,
I drove to the Marriot Hotel located at the heart of Times Square, Manhattan, where she was staying, to do this interview.
