Widely considered one of the best to ever do it, Nana Ama McBrown’s two-decade acting resume beeps Chameleonic. Trading powerful ground strokes in the Movie industry, she has excited, educated and entertained the masses with relatable roles that affirm her jurisdiction as Ghana’s greatest actress.
The concept of range, which normally, celebrated actors of her kind slack in possession has been her reliable asset. Constantly evolving, her screen credit as an armed robber in the Samuel Nyamekye’s directed film ‘That Day’ ballooned a promising performer tiptoeing in the arena of versatility. Interestingly, her casting in the film came about when she offered herself to play the part upon the inactiveness of the original cast member.
Decorated in the script to utter no words throughout the scenes, her poise in playing this seemingly insignificant role naturally exhibited her potential, prompting much challenging scripts to come her way.
In the 2005 film ‘Asoreba’, which identifies as her breakout role, McBrown satisfied audience with the well-worn formulas of Kumawood-centred characters when she played a loving tenant, whose relationship went sour with her trusted ally Asabea (Mercy Aseidu). The aftermath banter that eschewed between them arrested a deep transparency about real life situations.
Much of her comedy dynamics orchestrated in her refreshing turn in ‘Madam Moke’, ‘Ohia Asoma Wo’ and ‘Ama Pooley’. In all three comic films, she embodied charm mixed with silliness and exasperation, helping fuel her film catalogue.
Taking a page from the playbook of her revered mentors Grace Omaboe and Grace Nortey, McBrown’s sorrowful performance in ‘Asabea (The Blind Girl)’ was a searing depiction of the horrifying state physically challenged individuals find themselves. Her seductive delivery as a hypocritical church girl in ‘Wo Nyame Som Mpo Ni’ shattered clichés with its intricate layers of fierceness and intelligence.
Dissecting the submissive housewife card, McBrown stayed effortless in the iconic ‘Kumasi Yonko)’ film. A gossiping tenant, a manipulative friend and a victim of domestic abuse, she persuasively channeled her star wattage into a formidable portrait. In another round of the submissive housewife card, ‘I know My Right’, she offered a joyous testament to the array of women, who command respect from their partners without engaging in disruptive arguments.
Common among Kumasi-based actors, an easy transition into the English fold of filmmaking (Accra) is a disadvantage to their craft as they barely make a name for themselves under the new tent. Nonetheless, McBrown’s feasible talent has consistently broken the glass ceiling, making her a favourite at both sides of the conversation.
She classifies as an Africa Movie Academy Award nominee and a Golden Movie Awards winner for ‘Sidechic Gang’. In the archives of the Ghana Movie Awards, she stands as the only female performer to have won all three acting categories (best actress (2012), best supporting actress (2010) and favourite actress (2016 and 2019). At the 2020 Ghana Women of the Year Honours, she was feted with the Excellence in Creative Arts honorary title for her unmatched contribution to the industry.
As the International Women’s month window closes, we have assembled some of the best works from the greatest actress of all time in the Ghana Movie Industry.
‘kumasi Yonko’
Available to watch: YouTube
‘Asoreba’
Available to watch: YouTube
‘Wo Nyame Som Po Ni’
Available to watch: YouTube
‘Madam Moke’
Available to watch: YouTube
‘Ama Pooley’
Available to watch: YouTube
‘Asabea (The Blind Girl)’
Available to watch: YouTube
‘Kae Dabi’
Available to watch: YouTube
‘Ohia Asoma Wo’
Available to watch: YouTube
‘Nteteye Pa’
Available to watch: YouTube
‘I Know My Right’
Available to watch: YouTube
‘That Day’
Available to watch: YouTube
