With West Africa’s Movie industry swelling by the day, there have been quite a few new faces on the block. This means that people who started earlier on have to work even harder if they are to stay on the top. For actresses, it has become even tougher to remain afloat. One actress who has defied the odds of time is Nana Ama McBrown.

See: Top 10 Undoubtedly Most Beautiful Ghanaian Actresses

Nana Ama McBrown is a Ghanaian actress, script-writer and music writer. She was born on the 17th of August, 1974 to Cecilia Agyenim Boateng and Kwabena Nkrumah. The high flying super star has been hitting the headlines for the right reasons. She is very beautiful, which is one of her biggest attractions. She is an educated woman, down to earth but still professional. She is doing very well currently. Nana Ama’s life is such an interesting one. Here are 10 Surprising Facts  You Never Knew about Nana Ama McBrown.

1. Her mother and father divorced when Nana Ama was still a little girl

When her biological mother and father Miss Cecilia Agyenim and Mr. Kwaben Nkrumah divorced, her mother was left with the seven of them. However, the burden of caring for her 7 children proved too much for Cecilia later on.

2. Nana was adopted alongside her six siblings

When the mother felt that she was unable to care for her children, Nana Ama together with her six siblings were adopted by their aunty Madam Betty Obiri Yeboah and Mr. Kofi Mc Brown. Nana Ama confesses that her early childhood was actually very difficult.

See – Yvonne Nelson: My Dad Was Never There For Me, He Abandoned Me

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3. She stumbled unto acting

Nana believes that she would never have been an actress if not for a lucky audition she heard of over the radio! The audition were at Miracle films and Nana, who reveals that she had been a huge admirer of Afro Cinema, never wasted the opportunity. She showed up and was picked to do costuming. However, over a short period, her acting talents were noticed by the movie director and she was taken to act instead. She was subsequently brought to the limelight following her stirring performance in the Twi-Language movie “Nsem Pii.”

She admitted that her best among the movies she has acted is Madam Joan, asked why, she says it’s because the role she played in that particular movie was very challenging. She also deserves some love for Kai Debi where she acted as a blind village girl.

4. She studied business in College but is yet to use her Certificate

Strangely enough,  Nana Ama Mcbrown has a Secretarial Certificate which she has never made use of. The actress went to College of Business, acquired her certificate but is yet to use it. Yet she has plans of furthering her education!

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5. She calls her aunt her real mother

The actress believes that her biological mother didn’t do enough to help her during her early childhood. Instead, she gives all the thanks to her aunt. That’s why she calls her mum. She even admits that sometimes she doesn’t like mentioning her mother’s name because she doesn’t feel she is her mother. She said this in an interview:

All I want to do is to thank my auntie for her care and support. Sometimes I don’t want to mention my mother’s name, because she didn’t take care of me. I don’t feel she is my mother. My auntie, Madam Betty Obiri Yeboah is the woman I considered as my mother, because she was there for me.”

6. She was enthroned as Nkosuohemaa

Ceremonial queen mother of development of Assin Basiako that neighbors Assin Fosu. This is a region in the Assin North District in the Central Region, Ghana – this happened in 2007 and was in recognition of her services to the community.

7. She has escaped death severally

Aside escaping a ghastly motor accident on 30th January, 2013, which almost claimed her life, Nana McBrown has escaped being poisoned on set two good times since she started acting. This is what she has to say about it:

From day one that I started my work, acting, people think they see you on TV and it’s beautiful. No doubt, it is very beautiful. But the attacks that you get, you have no idea of . I’ve been poisoned on set twice. I’ve been admitted at the Komfo Anokye for two weeks with­out food. I went home with about forty drips or forty-five. Injections, I can’t count”.

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8. Most of the time she uses her own costumes

According to the actress, some things are best done at a personal level. She thinks that costumes and make ups can’t just be left for costume designers. In her opinion, acting has so much to do with emotions and appearance meaning that the actor or actress has to be actively involved.

9. Her inspiration comes from the fact that she “was born to no parents.”

This is what drives Nana Ama; having been brought up with “no” parents, she believes she has seen it all. She has been taught that life is about working hard and that is exactly what she is doing.

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10. She is not intimidated by the “big actors and actresses.” –

Many a times, new actors find it too much of an ask dealing with the big actors and actresses. However, that is never the case with  Nana Ama Mcbrown. She believes that she is there on merit and only competes with her dreams.

Nana Ama is undoubtedly a legend in the making. She has appeared in several movies including: He Is Mine, Madam Joan, Nsem Pii, Kumasi Yonko, Asoreba, Friday Night, Evil Heart, My Own Mother, The End and Pastors Club among many others. She will never go unrecognized in the Ghanaian acting society. She has been a heroine in her own rights, hopefully it continues that way.