Image of Ama K. Abebrese by @dextdeephotograpy .
It is a pleasure to interview this award winning actress whose film credits include Netflix film, Beasts of No Nation. The British Ghanaian actress has star talent and stands head and shoulders above the rest. There’s something about Ama and I recently sat down with her to discuss a few of her upcoming projects and current inspiration.
Ama its a pleasure to interview you. You are an inspiration and a friend.
As an actress what inspires you. What films, people, things have currently got you excited?
As an African actor currently its just interesting how you can’t get away from Black Panther. I think it’s quite exciting that the mainstream has taken on a film Like that and hearing that it’s definitely going to hit a billion and over is really exciting and seeing this crop of African American and African actors doing amazing things is just exciting. Ryan Coogler as the director is amazing. There’s a project that I’ve been involved in that will be coming out later this year called the Burial of Kojo. The director Blitz the Ambassador is an amazing director as well. I love people like Leila Djansi and the work that she does. It is just one of those ones where it is an exciting time for African filmmakers and people of the diaspora. Looking at the mainstream, Hollywood, we’ve had films like Get Out and Girls Trip doing amazing. The last Fast and Furious film, by another African American director did great. So the mainstream is holding it down.
What would you say is the future of TV and film in Africa. How are we doing thus far?
I think the future of African TV and film is very exciting. Obviously it’s such a big continent but just looking at the area where I’ve been privy to Ghana and Nollywood, it’s exciting, we still have a long way to go and I’m under no disillusionment of that but looking at the film makers and TV producers and some of the things I’m seeing is really really exciting. Sometimes you are just sitting and watching TV and browsing channels and just catch something interesting like South Africa some of the TV series are pretty amazing, from Nigeria and Ghana. Right now because of the Internet you get to see so much more work from other countries when before it would have been so hard.
Dependent on the TV producers working on it we will always have se exciting stuff. Off course we will always have our low end. I feel like we are never going get away from that because even in Hollywood there are B list and lower end movies. Here too people like lower end things. Those things tend to be more comedic which you can’t get away from because those things have an audience for that.
You have made some fabulous red carpet choices and always champion African designers. Who has got you excited and why?
Very early in my career, I made a conscious decision to wear African designers whether those designers are based in Europe, America or the African continent. And when I say African I mean African and those of African descent as well. What I love is, our sense of style, our sense of color and style is quite unique. We use color and prints in an exciting way and a lot of times, the designers use culture even the shapes. As an African woman my body shape is different, a lot of the times when I’m shopping, when I’m in England I’m aware that my body shape is different so a lot of African designers make clothes with bodies like me in mind. I’m a bit curvy and I’m aware of that. Ready to wear designers like @charlotteprive uses next to no African print but their shapes work for my body perfectly. Someone like @klortsoookai uses a lot of African prints in a modern way which suits everyone whether you are American or from wherever.
When it comes to the red carpet which you don’t always get to do, you like to get up, get glam and get dressed up. I like this designer @stclementasemyra, who is a young man who is very talented. I like his cuts, he likes to do very dramatic things. For the red carpet when I wear his things I love it. Someone like @aprilbykunbi who is a Nigerian designer, I love the gowns that she does. And off course there are so many designers and I can just keep going on and on. One of my favourite all time designers is who I’ve loved for a long time is K'naf Africa. I don’t think I will ever fall out of love with African designers. Top world designers are great but I feel as somebody who loves African designers and designs, as often as I can I want to showcase their work.
On a last note, one thing we don’t know about Ama....
One thing you don’t know about Ama is a tough one but I cant tell you because if I tell you then you will know (she says laughing) and then everybody will know. Oh gosh what don’t people know about me, maybe what you don’t know about me, you are not supposed to know.