Ghanaian actress Edinam Luckie Lawson says Ghanaians should not underrate the country’s movie industry but rather contribute to efforts at uplifting its image.

Even though most Ghanaians especially the elite do not hesitate in condemning Ghanaian movies and treat the movie industry with disdain, the actress who spent most of her formative years in the US says the outside world holds Ghanaian movies in high esteem.

According to her, a lot of outsiders respect Ghana’s movie industry and recognize its movies that are being marketed worldwide.

“People in the State are falling in love with our movies. The Spanish, French and the Jamaicans among others now watch our movies and even though they hardly understand English, they still want to watch more. They love our movies and that makes me proud as a Ghanaian.

I get shocked when they praise our movies. When the Beyonce movie came out, people could not believe it was a Ghanaian movie,” she told BEATWAVES on Monday.

She advised Ghanaians to appreciate the industry and encourage its players to come out with the best, rather than entirely condemning it.

“Just give us some time. We are better now than 5 years ago. Give us another 5 years and we would be unstoppable,” she stated.

The light-skinned actress spent most of her childhood days in the US. She left Ghana for the US after her basic education at the Liberty JHS at Adabraka. She continued at the John F Kennedy High School in the States and ended at the Monroe College.

She first returned to Ghana in 2001 when her auntie died and that was when she discovered her passion for acting. After her return, she watched a Nigerian movie which starred Ramsey and Genevieve, and having enjoyed the movie, she thought she could do better.”

Later, she met Frank Raja, a director, who introduced her to a couple of auditions which landed her, her first role in Venus Film’s ‘Mummy’s Daughter’ in 2005-2006.

She went on to do ‘Frozen Emotion’ with the late Kwame Owusu Ansah then ‘Royal Battle’ and ‘Masters Of The Night’ among a number of other movies. ‘Royal Battle’ was however her big break.

This year, she is returning with another Venus Film Productions movie titled ‘The King Is Mine’.

Luckie says she actually stumbles into movies. “I have always wanted to be in the entertainment industry, but not in movies. I like fashion designing. I also wish I can sing but unfortunately, I don’t have the voice,” she said.

Mother of a 15-month-old boy, Jayden, Luckie hails from Adidome in the Volta Region.

She hopes to produce her own movies in the near future.

Source: Daily Guide

By Francis Addo