Sexy and daring screen diva, Ella Mensah remains one of the few Ghanaian actresses who has crossed over to Nollywood successfully. In this interview, the beautiful mother of one who never stops dishing out alluring pictures of herself on the internet shares her plans for the year, as well as how acting cost her two relationships. Read on…

What have you been up to lately?

I’ve been away for about seven months. I was in America for five months and in Ghana for a month before coming back. In America, I started a production course at the NewYork Film Academy. I’m not through with it yet, I will still go back in March to complete it. I shot a movie in Maryland with some Nigerian and Ghanaian actors. I also hosted the third edition of the Afro Heritage Broadcast Entertainment Awards (AHBEA) in Texas, alongside Gbenga Adeyinka. So it’s been work, school and a little bit of holiday here and there. I also shot a commercial in Ghana and now I’m back to work.

It’s a new year, what should we expect from you?

A lot… I’m going back to the States to finish my course. I want to fully go into production. The movie industry is a bit slow here in Nigeria at the moment (It’s been slow for some years in Ghana) because a lot of producers are not producing like before. Individuals are producing their own movies. I want to learn more about production. This year is basically going to be about gaining more knowledge because I want to produce my own movies, while featuring in that of others as well.

How would you describe your journey as an actress so far?

Seriously, I didn’t even know I’ll get to this level when I started. God has been good to me and things have been great. It hasn’t been a smooth ride, there’s been ups and downs, but it all comes with the job and I’m happy where I am right now. So far, so good, the journey has been great and I’m proud of myself.

How challenging has it been as a Ghanaian actress in Nollywood?

Initially, when I started it wasn’t easy to break in, but right now they’ve accepted me. I think we’ve all realised that we are one Africa.

If you could change one thing in the Nigerian movie industry, what would that be?

I don’t think there’s anything I want to change, but I think there’s need for improvement. There should be an avenue for us to better ourselves. We need more sponsorship in the system in order to excel.

A lot of people see you as a very controversial person, who is the real Ella Mensah?

The characters I play in movies are not me. I’m just a simple girl-next-door. The normal girl who is just trying to make some money, better myself and take care of my family. Ella is a very ambitious girl who knows what she wants and wants to build an empire for herself. She’s just a normal, simple girl without complications and controversy.

Is there any role you would turn down?

When you’re coming up as an actress, you do whatever role you’re given, but it gets to a certain point where you have a choice. I would turn down any role that the storyline has no meaning, because at this point I do not need to prove anything to anyone. There are some roles I played in the past that I won’t do now, but at that time I was too hungry to be seen that I would play any role. Now, I’m at that point where I need to improve myself and I will only play roles that would boost and improve my career.

Is there any particular role you regret playing?

I can’t say I actually regret it, because personally, I do not regret anything in this world. If it were now I won’t play such roles, but I guess I played them at that point because I wanted to. For instance, there was this role where I had to have sex with my boyfriend in the movie, I had to take off my bra, (though I was given something to cover my breasts) if it were now, I won’t play such a role. But at that time, I just wanted to act, because I was new in the industry and was overwhelmed with the opportunity to act with some of the big faces I used to watch on TV.

What’s the most challenging character you’ve played so far?

I still haven’t done any challenging character. I’ve never acted like a mad woman before and I’ve always seen it as very challenging, going to refuse dumps, gutters and all. I can’t stand dirty places, dirty things and dirty people. If you’re my friend and I hug you and you smell, I won’t go close to you again. If it’s a guy who is asking me out and I get close to him and realise he’s smelling, that’s it, I block the number. I have issues with people who smell and dirty places. That challenging role I’ve been looking forward to is acting like a mad woman. I’m so scared to do it. I’m almost five years in the industry and I haven’t experienced that yet. I don’t know what I’m going to do if I’m offered the role. I don’t know if I can do it.

Does acting pay your bills?

Yes, but it doesn’t pay all the bills, You’ll be on set and people think you’re making money, but at the end of the day, you’re just shooting for your friend, you’re not making money. But then, you have bills to pay, that’s why I do other things on the side. I had tailors who make contemporary native wears for men, but I closed it down last year. I’m about to open another thing here in Lagos and in Accra as well, which I will announce soon.

What are the down-sides of being an actress?

My baby-daddy broke up with me because I’m an actress. He asked me to chose between him and acting. When I told him I wanted to act, he was like “No, no… You’ll be exposed. Every man would want to be with you because you’re famous. I can’t stand that kind of competition and pressure”. We broke up even before I started acting. My immediate ex also had problems with me because of some of the comments some men leave on social media. I was so open with my ex that he could log into my Instagram page because he has my email details and so on, so he goes through my DM. He sees all the messages and nude pictures men sent to me here and there. Acting has broken two relationships of mine. That word ‘actress’ scares most African men, I don’t know why. Acting has cost me two break ups. It takes a man with balls to want to date an actress. I don’t blame them though, feeling insecure that every man wants to be with you, but they forget that it doesn’t matter how many men want to be with you, you want to be with just one man. They are like “the temptation is huge and you might not be able to say ‘No’ to all the men who want you.” It’s really frustrating. Being an actress, you always have to prove to your man that you are faithful.

Are you in a relationship at the moment?

Right now, I’m single. I’m not dating anyone. The breakup happened last year. Right now, I just want to focus on myself and my career. That’s why I want to start producing, so I can have time for myself and my relationship, but at this moment I’m not ready.