Beautiful actress Grace Amah has been in Nollywood since 1999 and has been dazzling fans with the amazing ways she interprets her roles. In this interview with ORUKPE NELSON, she revealed the reasons behind her absence from the movie industry and being a single mom.

You just celebrated your birthday recently with the less privileged. How does it feel marking another milestone?

Over the years it has always been my desire to serve the public especially the less privileged. So, having been in the industry for more than a decade, I realized that the best way to celebrate God always and when one adds a new year to his life is to thank Him in the life of those who cannot say thank you for doing something for them. Those children you see were abandoned by their parents or due to one problem or the other and they are being taken care of by public spirited persons, is like the Biblical message; “I was hungry, you gave me food to eat”, I was naked you clothed me”… “Now enter the kingdom of my Father”. There is no better way to praise God than celebrating the life of children who are in no position to appreciate you back. So, I felt so honoured to have celebrated with the orphanage home and by God’s grace all my birthdays henceforth will be celebrated with the less privileged ones in our society.

You have been away from the mainstream movies in a while now. Can you tell us the reason and what other things you have been doing to occupy your time?

If you have been following my interactions with the press for some time now, you would have noticed that I have stated severally that there is need once in a while for people who live on public watch to find time and look into their primary constituencies which is the family. You may be young today, but every day we get older. So if you are not able to prepare for your old age when you are young, it becomes difficult to cope when you are outside the screen. My absence was to fulfill this natural obligation of building a home and respecting the Biblical injunction of going to multiply. I have had my son and now I have come back. While out of the screen, I developed other businesses for the family. But I have come back fully to the industry to begin to do what my fans loved of me.

What are the current things fans should be expecting from you?

What my fans know about me is the fact that I never disappointed in the interpretation of my roles in all my movies. I intend to keep to that excellence. Perhaps with more years and experience, they will see more of actions and a better role model in me.

What was it like growing up?

My growing up was like any other child from good Christian background. My parents are elders in the church and they never allowed us their children to stray. We have kept the faith till today.

Mention some of the pranks you played as a teenager

What could be my pranks except maybe the things I would love to do and my parents would oppose it. Then I could devise a means of doing them without their knowledge. But in all growing up was fun.

Did you have the support of your parents starting out as an actress?

My parents had expected me to be a Medical Doctor or a Lawyer. The question of Actress was not in their dictionary. In fact, because I wanted to satisfy them, I enrolled for Law at the University of Ibadan after I had started acting, but the demand of the acting stuff could not allow me concentrate and I had to leave the programme in Ibadan and came to University of Lagos to enroll for Creative Arts.

Have you always wanted to be an actress and what motivated you to go into acting as a career?

My acting career started as a divine vocation because it was my teachers in the Nursery School who observed my actions during School debates and extracurricular activities and informed my parents in writing that their daughter was gifted in acting. Like I mentioned elsewhere, my parents never even opened the letter until my siblings and I saw it many years after I had started acting. So my acting profession is a gift from God and that is why it has not been easy to leave the profession for anything different no matter the urge.

When did you join the movie industry and what motivated you?

I joined in August 1999 and my motivation was attraction to those in the profession such as Aunty Liz Benson, Aunty Joke Silva, My daddy, Richard Mofe Damijo, Aunty Kate Henshaw, Genevieve Nnaji and several others in the industry.

Mention some of the movies that brought you to limelight

Super Story (One Bad Apple), I need to Know, Chains, Atlanta, Fishers of Men, One plus One, Elastic Limit and so many others.

Any awards to your credit? If so mention them?

I have several awards including best bed hoping award. Afro Hollywood Award, Dynamix Award, Trek African women Award……

You are very attractive, how do you manage advances from the opposite sex?

I do not understand being attractive as being target for sex. It is natural that opposite sex admire each other; it is not only those in the movie industry. It is just that because most times we appear on the screen and exposed to more viewers, if not, there is nothing different with every other person out there. The issue of relationship depends on what one thinks of himself or herself. For me there is no big deal in relating with people as man is born a social animal.

What do you consider your best body part?

God created human being with components like machine. The moment any component is not working, the person or machine will not work well. One cannot consider any part of the body as more precious than others because the body cannot be complete without all the parts. All parts of my body are precious to me.

What beauty routine do you practice to keep your beauty looks?

I was naturally created with a shape that does not require much stress to be in tune. All I do is to eat normal and avoid junk foods. I take some exercises when necessary. I am not a fashion freak and so have no need for beauty practice. God created me great already.

Describe your fashion style?

I choose what fits me to occasions according to the nature of such ceremonies. I prefer Nigeria prints for cloths.

What’s your favourite perfume and wristwatches?

I love Tom Ford and Gucci.

What fashion item is your favourite?

Shoes, Bags and Jewellery.

If we take a peek into your wardrobe, what kind of clothes are we likely to see?

You will see mostly Nigerian and African Prints.

If you are to go for a red carpet event, how long does it take you to dress up?

It depends on the kind of ceremony or occasion.

What is your life passion?

I am passionate about the welfare of the less privileged because those of us who have the privilege of travelling outside this country see how other countries take care of their citizens. That is why we always call on our leaders to come with policies that touch on the welfare of the people in the society.

How do you juggle being a mother and your career?

It is a natural combination. To be a mother is ordained by God. To work to feed the family is God’s design. Both complement each other for a peaceful home.

How does motherhood feel like?

It makes one responsible and responsive.

Is it true you married your baby father secretly? If not, can you enlighten us on the true state of affairs?

How does one marry secretly? Marriage is one of the things you cannot do secretly especially if your profession is like ours which faces public scrutiny every day. The truth is that I had a boyfriend who approached my parents for my hand in marriage and while we were courting and preparing for the marriage, I got pregnant for him and I didn’t want to abort my child. My son is growing and I am happy I had him that time. He is my bundle of joy and source of happiness. So, there was no secret marriage and I AM NOT MARRIED. When it is time to marry, it will not be a secret.

What qualities in a man best appeals to you?

Tolerance, ability to appreciate the nature of what I do and respect for each other.

What is your life’s philosophy?

Love my neighbor as I love myself.