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Haitian-American
actor, Jimmy Jean-Louis is famous for his role in the US television
series, ‘Heroes’ and for his turn in the movie, ‘Phat Girlz’ with Oscar
winning comedienne, Mo’Nique. Appearing in three of the nominated films
for this year’s Africa Movie Academy Awards (‘Precipice’, ‘Soul
Sisters’ and ‘Sinking Sands’), Jean-Louis is fast becoming a
fascinating figure in his collaborations with African filmmakers. The
actor was in Bayelsa for the awards. He talked to NEXT ahead of the
ceremony.

How has your stay in Nigeria been?

It’s been good,
it’s not my first time in Nigeria, it’s actually my third time. First
time, I came with a movie called ‘Phat Girlz’ where I played a Nigerian
doctor opposite Mo’Nique. Second time I shot movie called ‘Relentless’
and this is now my third time, coming to the AMAA, because ‘Sinking
Sands’ has about 10 nominations, I’m also in another movie called ‘In
America: The Story of Soul Sisters’ and third movie called ‘Precipice’.
I’m actually in three movies during the AMAA, I’m glad to be here.

What’s your expectation?

They are not too
much as far as winning but I just hope that we have a good show and the
world will know that there is something of that level happening in
Africa. That’s why I always like to refer to the AMAA as African Oscars
just because we need to trademark that. We need the people to
understand what it means, it’s a celebration of our own talent, we
recognise people that have done great things in the past year and
hopefully that can encourage people to do them better in the next year
and in the following year.

You are
appearing in more and more films by African filmmakers, what does this
say about how you see yourself in the scheme of filmmaking on the
continent?

What I understand
from the growth of the business is that it is important to mix African
talent with Africans living outside of Africa to capitalise on the
visibility in the press first. That’s why it is important for me to
come back and do movies, whether in Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa or
Kenya because if the movies are different then they will have a better
chance to cross over and to reach an international audience. I think
that’s what some of the African movies need; to be able to cross over
to the international audience and also enjoy them. And by putting faces
that they recognise also makes it easier.

You had no hesitation in playing a Ghanaian character in a wholly Ghanaian film?

No, not at all. For
me it’s always been a pride to push and promote my people. You know I
am from Haiti and Haiti is the most African country outside of Africa,
trust me. I have done Haitian movies, I have done movies in Ghana,
Nigeria, I’ll do movies in Africa that can actually help the African
continent to go forward.