I am single but not free -Best Actress
GHANA'S current Best Actress, Pascaline Edwards, must have thought that she was finally bringing the debate over her marital status to a halt when she told the packed audience at the third Ghana Film Awards “I am single but not free.”
But it has not made the debate any less intense, in fact, the statement appears to have rather fuelled the debate. “Is the pretty lady really married?” “If she is, who is the lucky man?” are some of the questions that continue to be asked in showbiz circles.
Pascaline Edwards is a stunning beauty both on and off screen. Her many appearances in Ghanaian films have endeared her to many a movie fan and also to many curious unattached and available young men, some of whom were present at the recent film awards event.
So what is it about being “single and free?” Pascaline told Showbiz in an interview last week that some people in the media have been playing around with her name.
“Sometimes they refer to me as Edwards, other times Edward Asante, and yet other times simply as Asante.
Well, from the horse's own mouth, Pascaline is currently “not free” and she is more open to talk about her acting career and the thrill she had that night when she was called to pick up the Best Actress award than matters of her private life.
She said that she did not expect to win that award. “Seriously I had even forgotten about the show till I had a call from TV3 to go for my tickets on the awards day,” Pascaline said she quickly had to prepare for the evening as she had just some few hours to go. Off she went to Woodin, got herself a unique fabric, sat down to do some cutting and sewing and in no time
she was ready with the cute dress she wore for the event.
“It was when I heard my name that it dawned on me, wow I won.”Since grabbing the award, Pascaline has been busy in neighbouring Nigeria doing a couple of productions. She's been there quite often and she already feels like part of them so with the assistance of Nigerian actress Hilda Dokobu, Pascaline has found herself a house in Lagos so there will be nothing like lodging in hotels anytime she goes over.
How different is it to work with Nigerians? “It is not much different. They tend to attach more importance to their work although they don't have film schools, and they give more attention to foreign artistes just as we do here.” She adds that “we are more time-conscious than they are but they do so well with costumes and locations although their stories are not extraordinary.”
Pascaline may be versatile as an actress but she seems to be doing a lot more in other fields. She manages and instructs at Joedan, a health and fitness club and does some sewing as well.What most people may not know about Pascaline is that she first got into showbiz as one of the “waist wriggling sisters” who performed with K.K. Kabobo. Together with two other women dancers, they toured the country with Kabobo. She did this for about five years and recalls that it was fun, especially in the days when Kabobo's My Sweetheart was a hit.
“Music wasn't everything I wanted. You see I'm always looking for new and motivating things to do, I have too much energy to do just one thing at a time.” That is Pascaline, who came to Ghana twelve years ago and did an English course for six months and went into fashion designing. According to her, the kind of challenge she was expecting in fashion was not there at the time and that is why she found herself in music, and eventually film.
Pascaline also did a diploma course at Alliance Francaise and came out with a distinction. She however did not work much with the translations she trained for. Sitting in some office as a bilingual secretary was certainly not something for the ever active young women.What is Pascaline's nationality? She wouldn't say except to say that her mum isn't Ghanaian and her dad isn't fully Ghanaian. “You see, some people say I am Ga, others say I am Fanti and I just enjoy the mystery so let's leave it like that.” She is the first of five children born to her mum and the last of her father's eleven children.
A great source of joy to Pascaline is her thirteen-year-old son Samuel who she says is her biggest critic and fan. “If he doesn't like something I am wearing he is blunt about it. He however understands my job and copes with the situation if I have to be away for a while.” Call it hobbies but the kind of things Pascaline loves to do when she is not working are writing, bike riding and dancing. She is not fussy about what to eat as long as it is good and healthy.
Now in her very early thirties, Pascaline celebrates her next birthday on March 28. Is she the Miss-Know-All that a number of people in the field say she is? “Far from that,” she says “Ghanaians don't like to offend people even if they are suffering. I ask a lot of questions on set and give suggestions sometimes unlike those who do everything they are asked to even if they are not comfortable.”
“Some actors end up blaming directors when they are criticised when they could have avoided it at the production stage.” Pascaline says she always ensures that she is very comfortable with lines and stuff, the reason people may tag her too-known. “It's rather because I want to learn, that enhances my performance.”
Pascaline urges all those in Showbiz to see it as a big thing and let it reflect in their behaviour. To the numerous fans out there she asks that they should not be offended when actors show indifference at their sight, “we see thousands of faces so please bear with us if we fail to recognise you.”
To round it all up, Pascaline says that people should treat actors with a little bit of respect and not insult them for roles they play as all they seek to do is to teach society lessons. “From the little I know, actors are the most disciplined people who represent their countries morally and spiritually,” she concludes.