Ten years after her first acting role, Ghanaian movie star Juliet Ibrahimhas made a name for herself as one of the foremost actresses on the African continent. Now she intends to apply her talents to directing and producing her own movies, as well as pursuing a career in music.
DemolaOjorecently spent some time chatting with her…
It’s a midweek afternoon in Lagos. Ghanaian actress, Juliet Ibrahim is
presenting a $1000 cheque to a fan, the winner of a dance competition to
help promote her latest single, ‘Sholala’.
It’s low-key; the actress (and songstress), the lucky dancer and a PR
manager taking pictures by the pool of the Oasis Medspa where Ibrahim
has come to for a session.
In a few minutes it’s over. Off goes the dancer and not too long after,
the manager. Only the actress is left; no cameras, no audience, no
frills. “I’m usually alone,” she says as she settles into a seat
not-so-far from the pool. She reflects the calm of this serene and
relaxing location in the heart of Ikoyi.
Today, she is in all black (a top with denim pants), a striking
contrast to her complexion, and is devoid of makeup in preparation for
her spa treatment. But she still looks every bit the screen siren and
sex symbol that her name connotes.
First Love
According to her though, despite being famous as a movie star, music is her first love. “I always wanted to do music like for ever,” Ibrahim says in a low, even tone. She comes across as a straight talker; little gesticulation, little emotion in her voice, no theatrics.
“I started in a choir when I was growing up. I used to perform at
talent shows too.” She was however prepared for a future career in
acting at a young age because she also took drama classes, taking part
in a couple of playlets while growing up in the Ivory Coast.
“I didn’t really take acting as something I would want to do when I
grow up because I was very shy. I’m still shy but I think maturity has
helped somehow to cover it up. It’s singing I had always wanted to do.
So when I started acting, it created a platform for me to be able to
sing and express myself.”
‘Sholala’ isn’t her first song. The first was ‘Celebrate’, a song she
penned to “…celebrate everything God has done for me over the years and
how far I’ve come. So it wasn’t like I was doing it to make money off
it, it was just me using my talent to praise God.”
Between ‘Celebrate’ and ‘Sholala’, she has dropped singles ‘It’s Over
Now’ featuring General Pype and ‘Traffic Jam’, both with music videos.
Relative to the screen though, her music career has been under the
radar. This, nothing to be ashamed of, considering the number of roles
she has played in a movie career spanning ten years.
Movie Star
Juliet Ibrahim has featured in more than 50 movies since her acting debut in the 2005 Ghanaian film Crime to Christ. Not long after, she starred in her first Nollywood movie, Yankee Boys. Ever since, she has crisscrossed both the Nigerian and Ghanaian film industries, cementing her position as one of the most recognizable faces on the African movie scene.
Last year, she was in four movies: 30 Days in Atlanta, Life after
Marriage, Number One Fan and Shattered Romance. The last two represent
her recent foray into film production, an indication - as with the music
– that she is prepared to expand her frontiers.
Shattered Romance, which premieres in Nigeria October 16, was nominated
in four categories at the recent City People Awards in Lagos. “My
sister, Sonia, won for best supporting actress (for Shattered Romance)
while I won the award for Hottest Ghanaian Actress in Nollywood,” she
said.
It’s not the first time she has been recognised for her looks. Two
years ago, she was named the "Most Beautiful West African Woman" when
she graced the cover of A-listers Magazine.
But the accolades go beyond looks. She has been a winner of Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Ghana Movie Awards and just recently, Shattered Romance was voted Best Movie in Africa at the Nigerian Entertainment Awards in New York.
But the accolades go beyond looks. She has been a winner of Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Ghana Movie Awards and just recently, Shattered Romance was voted Best Movie in Africa at the Nigerian Entertainment Awards in New York.
Interestingly, she is looking beyond acting and producing. “I just
completed my third production project. It’s a TV series called Every
Woman HasA Story and I directed it too so that’s my directorial debut.”
Directing too?
“Jack of all trades,” she says, laughing softly. “It’s fun. It’s so much fun. If you have the talent to do something, I don’t think you should hide it and limit yourself because you never know which one is going to really put you out there.
“That’s how I see it. C’mon, if I get too old I won’t be able to do the
things I’m doing now. So I’m living my life, having the most of it.
That’s how I see it.”
Advocacy
One of the other things she’s doing is raising awareness to help aid
patients suffering a range of ailments through her NGO, the Juliet
Ibrahim Foundation.
“We started off with helping people who live with kidney diseases, to
raise funds for them and help with their kidney transplant or dialysis
treatment. Then we moved to helping the AIDs Commission in Ghana, then
we went in for Ebola education, and Hepathitis too, so it’s more like an
NGO that is there to help those in need when it’s necessary and
whenever we can raise funds.”
Mixed Race, Trophy Girl
It doesn’t take much time to notice Juliet Ibrahim’s rare amber irises.
Contact lenses perhaps? “You know I’m mixed race, right?” she replies
matter-of-factly. She’s a cocktail of Lebanese on one side and
Liberian-Ghanaian on the other.
It explains not just the eye colour but her features and complexion.
Does she believe her looks got her extra favours in her rise to the top?
She pauses and seems to think about it for a moment.
“No. No, I don’t think so. Because of my complexion, I’ve suffered a
lot.” She cites an example from the movie world. “If I have a role to
play, say the lead character’s parents are black, they’ll tell me
because I’m mixed race, I can’t play the role, I have to play the friend
of the lead character and they’ll bring a dark-skinned girl to play the
same role.”
But being mixed race has drawbacks in a wider context too, she
contends. “What people refuse to see is that when you’re mixed race you
don’t have everything come easy to you.
“I have that issue with guys. They think you’re so pretty and
attractive, you’re always going to have other guys come around you and
you can never be trusted… you can never be in a serious relationship.
“Men have that mentality. When you’re a fair girl, you’re like a trophy
girlfriend, they just use you for a period of time to show off but when
it comes to making you a wife, it’s a problem. And I have a lot of
mixed race friends that go through the same problem…till now.
“So the complexion doesn’t do anything different for you. I go through a
lot of issues as well but I don’t let my complexion be the major thing.
It’s my talent that will speak for me at the end of the day and for
the guys, it’s who gets to know me that will know my true personality
and know it’s not just about my complexion. That’s how I see it.”
Multilingual Business woman
Juliet Ibrahim was born in Ghana but spent most of her formative years
in Lebanon and the Ivory Coast before returning to Ghana for tertiary
education. Thissurely, prepared herfor a career transcending her place
of birth, as her influence spreads across the continent.
Being able to speak English, French and Spanish helps a great deal. A
daring and entrepreneurial spirit also, as her first trip to Nigeria as a
teenager attests.
“I’ve been coming to Nigeria since 2004, before I started acting. I
started coming to Nigeria when I already had my beauty salon. When I
opened the salon, I heard Yaba Market was the best place to get wigs,
weave-on and other products so I used to come get stuff. It was business
that first brought me to Nigeria.”
Not long after, she started acting, October 2005 to be precise. “My
first movie was in Ghana. Then in 2006, I got my first movie role in
Nigeria. That was in Asaba. And then a movie in Lagos and… that’s how it
just happened.”
Success in her new occupation came with the attendant fame, and
consequence. “When I started acting, my face was everywhere, so I
stopped going to the market. I had to start sending my assistant to do
that for me,” she recollects with a smile.
That hasn’t stopped her from being a frequent traveller to Nigeria.
“I’m always in Nigeria. It’s 45 minutes by flight. So once there’s a gig
or something that needs to be done, I just fly in. it’s like my second
home so I’m always here.”
She has special affection for Lagos. “Lagos is crazy. Lagos is on
fast-forward. There’s a big difference with Ghana, so when I’m here in
Lagos, everything goes faster. Lagos is all about making that money.
Early morning, peoplewake up and they’re on the move. So I love it when
I’m in Lagos. It makes you want to push yourself.”
Her love for Lagos suggests she has an abode here. “No. I don’t but I intend to. Hopefully next year.”
It isn’t the first time she has made such plans.“I was supposed to, about three years ago. I was making plans,then I met my ex-husband, so I had to settle down in Ghana.”
It isn’t the first time she has made such plans.“I was supposed to, about three years ago. I was making plans,then I met my ex-husband, so I had to settle down in Ghana.”
The Next 10 Years
So where does she see herself in the next 10 years? She ponders a bit.
“That’s long. I don’t know. But in five years I see myself being a lot
more than I amtoday. I’m actually on the right track and I intend to be
listed on Forbes’ list of most influential women,” she reveals in that
low, measured tone.
“That’s one of my dreams, so in the next five to 10 years, I’ll be where I’ve dreamt of.
“I have a dream.I want to be on that Oprah Winfrey level,” her eyes ever-so-slightly betraying her passion.
She has no illusions it will be easy but she has a plan. “There are
always obstacles. It’s about meeting the right people that believe in
your dream. If you can get the right people, then with luck on your side
you’re good to go.”
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