Ace actor, Van Vicker is one of the most
recognized Ghanaian faces in the Nigerian
movie industry, Nollywood, after having been
one of the first actors to successfully crossover
from the Ghanaian movie industry into Nigeria.
Born of a Dutch father and a mother who is
half Liberian and half Ghanaian, and often
referred to as the Ramsey Nouah of
Ghollywood, Van is one of the best role
interpreters to have come out of Ghana and he
has made his mark in the make-believe world,
with many recognitions, awards and a
Globacom endorsement to show for it.
In this interview with City People’s showbiz
reporter, Jombo Uche , he opens up on why he
has not been featuring in Nollywood movies as
before, his 10-year marriage and why has
started his own productions.
I discovered that you have not been featuring
in Nigerian movies as you used to.
Well, I have been filming. I run a production
company called “Sky+Orange” Productions and
I just started my own productions and doing
my own movies, that is why I haven’t been in
Nigeria for a while because timing is very
critical.
Can you remember the last time you were part
of a shoot?
The last time I was involved in a shoot was
November last year. Before then, it took me 6
months to come to Nigeria. For the past 2
years, it has been like 5 or 6 shoots, which is
because I have been producing my own films in
Ghana and a lot of other PR works around the
world. I think it is also good, because if you are
in a system, you don’t want to overflog them
with your presence. Sometimes it is also the PR
work, you just want the producers or the
viewers to look for you but it’s just that I now
produce my own movies, which take more
time. I have to start from the very beginning
because I am also directing.
Tell us some of your produced movies?
Starting from the very beginning, my first
movies was ‘Friday Night’, then ‘Johnny
Walker’, ‘Hand Of Time’, and a new one that is
not out yet.
What informed your interest in going into
directing and producing?
I have always been interested in the
technicalities of film making. I have got some
technical training in TV3 television station I
was working for in Ghana in 1998. I got some
training on how to edit and direct and of course
I upgraded myself because it is also what I love
doing.
Tell us about this new movie?
In this production, my character is called MP, a
very intelligent guy, who has got a few friends
who are robbers and not killers. They are not
violent guys but they refuse to do a 9 to 5 job.
Instead, they plan and scheme on how to rob
people of their hard-earned money, but in one
of their well-planned operations, they were
caught, only when a neighbor show up and the
girl’s boyfriend show-up and things got
complicated. It is aUJstudio productions. It is a
very interesting movie but the major challenge
in the movie is that we are shooting in the
night.
Is this your most challenging role?
Well, I will say I have not seen my most
challenging role in a movie and I am still
looking out for that role.
How does it feel celebrating 10 years in
marriage, has marriage changed anything about
you?
There have been many advantages and bonuses
for me in the last 10 years in marriage. It has
made me focused and responsible and it has
also made me love kids. It has made me really
grasp the adage that says, ‘2 heads are better
than one’. There is no time I make a decision
without running it by my wife, sometimes I will
think it is a very perfect idea, only for her to
point out many holes in it and I’m like what
have I been thinking. It has really been
awesome for me. If you take me back 10 years
again, I will still get married to her again.
To the same woman?
Yes
Do you sometimes feel threatened that
somebody might take your place seeing the
new actors coming out in Ghana and Nigeria?
I don’t feel threatened in any way, I know
competition is good when it is healthy. All the
actors are competitors, give and take, because
we are all fighting for the roles out there; we
are all trying to impress the producers and
directors to give us roles, we are competitors
but yet we are all pallies and friends. I will not
feel threatened in any way, because I know my
strength as an actor and my weakness that I
work on every now and then, it is good for the
industry and I cannot stand here and be selfish.
Looking at it from another angle, as a director
and producer the more new faces, the more
challenging it becomes for the older actors
because they need to also step up their games
and also it introduces employment in the
system.
How did you meet your wife?
We met back in our secondary school days in
1994. I was in an all-boys school and she was in
an all-girls school, I actually played a basketball
match on a Friday against Ghana National High
School. I twisted my ankle so I had to go home
and when I got to the bus stop, she was also
there so we sat on the same bus. I sat next to
her, when we got to Accra, I was limping so she
offered to help me with my bag and that was it.
We got married after 10 years; we are in 2014
that means we have known each other for 20
years. How does your wife feel and react when you
play romantic roles in movies?
It is just me being professional. It is my career
and what I love doing. I don’t take it
personally. Every romantic scene I do, it’s not
Van doing it, but the character I’m playing. It
doesn’t make any difference even though I
have limitations on how far I can go in a
romantic scene. I take my wife’s feelings into
consideration as well. But that is not the
paramount reason, the reason will also be what
is the point? I have to have a good reason
from the producer or director why I have to do
it or go so deep in that particular scene.
How does she feel when bad things are written
about you that are not true?
We always talk about it. Most of the time,
some of these reports are written by
mischievous people. It is not a big deal. She
always asks for my side of the story, when I
tell her my own side, she believes because she
knows what I can do and so whatever is
written doesn’t make any difference. At the end
of the day she knows the media likes
controversies and scandalous stuff.
Tell us about your family?
I’m of a mixed race. My dad is Dutch, my mum
is part Ghanaian and part Liberian. My dad
died 31 years ago, so I was brought up by my
mother, I have a sister, both of them presently
live in America. I am the last child.
Tell us about your fashion sense?
I just wear what I love to wear, it doesn’t make
any difference, it doesn’t really matter how
expensive or cheap it is, if I see it down the
road and they are ringing a bell and I like it, I
will buy it. I sometimes make up my own dress
code. Though I follow the online trend but
whatsoever is comfortable, I will wear it.
