Nollywood not better than Ghollywood — Yvonne Nelson
Written by Aramide Pius
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Yvonne Nelson is a well known Ghanaian actress who has endeared herself to a large crowds of fans during her few years sojourn in the Ghanaian movie industry .


Yvonne Nelson





Cornered at one of her various movie locations in Nigeria, she speaks on how she got into Nollywood, her experience in Nigeria as well as her childhood passion for music which she describes as a stage in life and one which she has outgrown. Enjoy;

How is Ghana?

Ghana is fine and great.

What strikes your interest in venturing into Nollywood?

The fact that I want to cross boundaries is something striking. You know it is important to go international so you can sell your country by making other countries know that we also exist.  It sounds so good to have this collaboration between Ghana and Nigeria; it is really good because it is helping the industry.

Tell us about your first contact with Nollywood?

It all started this year, and that was my first Nigerian movie. I was invited here to shoot a movie by Kingsley Okereke of Divine Touch Productions, so I came. The title of the movie was ‘To love and to Cherish’

How has it been, working with Nigerian movie stars?

It has been great, only that everybody wants to keep to themselves because of fame. But above all,  Nigerians are very nice people. 

How would you compare Ghollywood with Nollywood?

I cannot compare the two movie industries because right now, the Ghanaian movie industry has really picked up.  Before now, it used to be soaps and with just a few producers but now, things have really changed. We now have so many producers and as you can see, we are doing well.

Right now, I see Ghollywood and Nollywood on the same level apart from the fact that you guys have a bigger market than we do in Ghana because as you know, Nigeria is bigger than Ghana and this will in effect impact on the market.

How did it all begin?

It just happened by the way.  I took part in Miss Ghana beauty pageant and that gave me a little exposure…

Are you a model?

Not really, I only took part in a beauty pageant; I am not a professional model.  I did that in 2005 and it was as a result of this that I was spotted by a producer who invited for a little audition and that was how it all began.

So did you win the pageant?

No, I was the first runner up.

Which was your very first movie?

I played a supporting role in ‘Return of Beyonce” while my first major break was in ‘Princess Tara’.

What went through you when you watch yourself on set?

Before now, I was just doing it but now I have fallen in love with acting and I am so much in love with it that I am very proud of myself and I am trying to make Ghana proud of me.

Being a 300 level Human Resource Management student of the Central University College in Ghana, don’t you intend to abandon acting someday for practicing your career?


Yvonne Nelson
Not at all; I am planning to work for an event organizing company and I still want to be in the showbiz.  You never can tell, I may own my own event organizing company in the near future and I will be doing both the event organizing and will still be acting because I can never let go of acting.
Were your parents happy at your choice of career when you started out?

They were very supportive and my mom had always been there for mean that makes me happy.

Are you fully Ghanaian or you are a mixed blood?

I am fully and truly Ghanaian.

Being a ravishing looking young lady, male advances must be coming your way always, how do you handle these advances?

They are always going to be there and they will always come one’s way but it is left for me to know how to handle the situation and manage it.  I believe that you don’t have to be extremely nice to everybody that come your way all the time because they can take advantage of that sometimes.

Who is that special man after your heart at the moment?

I am very, very single and would not love to go into any relationship right now.

Why taking such decision?

For now, I am single and focused.

So that makes your sex life less busy?

Yes, I am really focused now, besides, I am a very boring person.  If I am not working and I am not in school, I am always at home; I am quite a boring person.

But how come it is not showing on you?

Yes, I know but appearance can be very deceptive.

How do you unwind?

I unwind by hanging out with a few friends.  I have about three friends that I am really always go out with. Whenever I am not doing anything, I usually hang out with them, we watch movies, play some music or we might just eat out.  I am also very much into music.

Which is your kind of music and do you sing?

I love hip hop and as a growing child I used to sing.

Who is your favorite musician?

Naesto Jones but he is popularly called NAS, he is an American singer.

How stylish are you and who are your favorite designers?

I am very stylish and I am also into designs. I know what is in vogue and I make sure that I look trendy all the time.  My favorite designer is Vera Wang but I also have other designers that I love but Vera Wang is my favorite for now.

Where did you grow up and what was growing up years like for you?

I grew up in Accra Ghana.  I am the last born and growing up for me was a swell time because as a last borne of two boys and a girl. I was pampered and given all the attention.  It was real fun for me. 

Is acting a childhood passion for you?

I can remember in my secondary school days, I used to go on stage and perform rap, I used to sing but never acting.

Are you not thinking of going back to do music later on?

No, that was only a stage in my life.  All in my mind then was that I just want to be in entertainment, I wanted to be in the showbiz industry.  Now, for me, it is acting, music was only a stage in my life and I have outgrown that stage.
http://odili.net/news/source/2009/apr/4/309.html

Nollywood is not perfect but I prefer watching a Nollywood film over a Ghanaian film.Ghanaian actresses can not dress in their films.They are always wearing the loudest colors.This is where I like Nigerian movies.Their costumes are very realistic and normal.Ghanaians actresses needs to tune down their wardrobe.

I don't agree with Yvonne. The Nigerian movie industry is more matured and experienced and their production quality is better. At least in my opinion.
And why on earth are these movie industries in Africa deriving their names from Hollywood? Can't they come up with something new? Why all this followership attitudes and inferiority complex? I was amused when I sam 'Tollywood' as the name of a movie production industry in a Tanzanian movie advert, but this? 'Ghollywood'? Sad. Just sad.

I was laughing at 'Ghollywood' only to come in here and see 'Tollywood' again. It would be funny if it wasn't so

WTF is Ghollywood? This whole hollywood stuff is becoming bastardized.

YVONNE SHUT UP PLS , THER IS NOTHING WITH GHOLLYWOOD OR WHAT EVER , IM A GHANAIAN MYSLF AND U ACTORS/TRESS ARE DOING NOTHING THAN CONCERT PARTY, , U NEEED MORE CATCHIN UP,

Ghollywood, Tollywood, follywood---geez! It took years for pple to get used to the Nollywood concept, now this! But for real, the Nigerian movie industry is tops in Africa for its actors, production, and popularity. So Ghanawood or wotever shd get a grip.

What's Ghollywood

she is a really pretty girl. who cares which is better I think it would have been better to put it all together and called it African movie industry instead of trying to cope hollywood with all this wood wood thing am tired sha.

Ghanaians have got better equipments and setting than Nigeria, but the acting is begging, it could make a cat cry a river!!! I once saw a romantic movie (Ghollywood) its like asking Pa Aluwe and Rita Dominic to play a love scene, all kissing luvy dubby! I felt like vomitting, the sound setting was very good but costume? ha you would think its a Sci fi movie (African style)

Ghollywood? WTF

If its dt good why do they come act in NOLLYWOOD abi na SURULEREWOOD.Good riddance jare

A

don't knock ghollywood oh they are even coming out with a block buster movie that will shut everyone up one time heart of men

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRTnAhcz0dE

There r 3 major movie industries in d world: hollywood(us),bollywood(india) & nollywood(9ja).evry other b it ghoatywood,fcukinwood r counterfeit.

There r 3 major movie industries in d world: hollywood(us),bollywood(india) & nollywood(9ja).evry other b it ghoatywood,fcukinwood r counterfeit,photopcopy of d real.

MrCrackles:

Nollywood and ghollywood - Absolutely pathetic movie industries!

[[i]color=#006600]Talk about garbage movie industry[/color].

she is so pathetic, they've paid her small money in Nigerian and all of a sudden, Ghollywood and Nollywood is on the same level, girl Puhlease. Out of alll of them the only one i can stand to watch is Majid, this gollywood actors don't understand that Nigerian films come for them because thay are cheap, cheap and what is cheap, things of less quality.

we shuld make a list of all the woods we av bollywood,ghollywood,congowood,chinnaawood,honkongywood,iraqqywood,wat else? taiwanessewood its coming

Gollywood ko? Kollywood ni? Somebody should really undertake a rebranding project and change this "Nollywood" concept into something more authentic and radically less copycattish, haba, let one person point to Nollywood on a map of Nigeria to me, what? can't? i thought so. Now stop the sillyness and call the film industry erm, erm, i no get name, which is why i said "somebody" should undertake a rebranding project

We should change nollywood to Wazobiana