Several stars and talents have hailed out of the Smiling Coast of Africa from various disciplines in the entertainment industry such as sport, music, modeling and the razzmatazz but the latest starlet making waves in the movie industry is la belle Princess Shyngle, who hailed from The Gambia.
Born and brought up in The Gambia, Princess currently lives in Ghana, where she is pursuing a career in filmmaking and has featured in several thrilling movies of landmark successes with high profile movie stars like Tonto Dikeh, Jackie Appiah, John Dumelo and Kanayo O. Kanayo to name a few. “So far I’ve produced 6 movies and have acted in 19 films,” the 25-year-old star tells Elegance Magazine CEO Lady Chilel in this enthralling interview. Excerpts.
Elegance Magazine: Can you please give us some brief background of Princess Shyngle?
Princess:Well, my name is Princess Christian Shyngle. I am an award-winning writer, producer and actress in Nollywood. I am the only daughter to my parents but have three amazing brothers. I am a Gambian, born and brought up in The Gambia but currently live in Ghana for the past three years just to pursue my career in filmmaking. I am a very simple person, very down-to-earth, easy-going, private and friendly. I love to work out, shop, write, hang out with friends and watch TV.
EM: How did acting get into your life or where did that journey begin?
Princess: Acting started for me when I represented my country The Gambia in a reality show called THE NEXT MOVIE STAR AFRICA in Nigeria. It’s a 30-day reality show of over 30 different housemates from different African countries in one house competing and I emerged as the 2nd runner-up in 2010; two years after I decided to move to Ghana.
EM: Is this your first time in acting?
Princess: I have been writing and producing my own films since 2012 and so far I have produced 5 to 6 films. Before I produced my 4th film (The Mysterious Wedding Planner) I have always wanted to come back home to do a film, but it was too expensive so I decided to raise some money and finally in January 2015 God made it all possible.
I invited John Dumelo and Ebube Nwagbo to The Gambia to be part of the film, and it was a great experience working with talented Gambian actors and actresses.
EM: Tell me how many movies you have done so far?
Princess: So far I’ve produced 6 movies. I have acted in 19 films.
EM: How about the movie with Tonto Dikeh and others; elaborate?
Princess: The movie with Tonto Dikeh, Jackie Appiah, Kanayo O. Kanayo, Osita, et cetera (etc.) is a Nigerian film titled Celebrity Marriage; it’s a cinema film, a story about celebrity actresses and what most of them go through in their marriage homes, their personal lives, and the struggle in the industry.
EM: And your movie is Mysterious Wedding Planner. Why?
Princess: The story is about a girl that was betrayed by her best friend who tried to kill her just to take her husband to be from her, but unfortunately for the bad friend her friend didn’t die; she was saved. So she decided to disguise herself into the wedding planner for the wedding of her wicked friend and her fiancé just to get evidence and lock her friend up for attempted murder and to have her husband back. That’s how the title – THE MYSTERIOUS WEDDING PLANNER – came about.
EM: What makes it stand out?
Princess: Well the fact that I capture the culture of a typical traditional Mandinka bride makes the movie really stands out and seeing a hijab girl transform to a glamorous diva just to disguise herself also makes the movie stands out. The Mysterious Wedding Planner is one of the 3 films selected in West Africa to be screened at the 2016 Egypt Chinese Film Festival.
EM: You did a hosting in The Gambia. Tell us more about it?
Princess: I did the movie premier of The Mysterious Wedding Planner last year and it was the most successful movie premier in The Gambia so far. People came out in their numbers to support Gambian film and I was speechless and so grateful. I urge Gambians to continue to support our film industry.
EM: We have seen the famous Ghanaian actor John Dumelo. How did you meet? Tell us about the Nigerians that are involved too.
Princess: I met John Dumelo in 2012 on the set of my very first film The Hidden Fantasy; he was my love interest in the movie and since then we became very close friends.
EM: How is your relationship with John Dumelo?
Princess: John Dumelo is my colleague and an amazing friend, mentor and adviser. I have also acted with Popular Nollywood stars the likes of Tonto Dikeh, Kanayo O. Kanayo, Jackie Appiah and many others.
EM: How do you see The Gambia’s film industry?
Princess: I think the Gambia movie industry is still growing; there is a lot of potential, talent and beautiful locations for shoots in The Gambia. I just think our industry needs more support from the government, companies, investors and the Gambian people. If all of these things are in place we can easily take over Nollywood.
EM: Are you married, and any kids?
Princess: No I am not married neither do I have any kids yet. I am still single but that’s because I choose to; I am not just ready to date for now because I don’t have time, my career is so time consuming and exhausting and until I find a balance I don’t think I am ready for love now. Besides I am only 25 years, I have a long way to go, no rush LOL.
EM: Final words
Princess: My final words: believe in your self, work hard, be determined and always put God first. I want to thank Elegance Magazine too for the opportunity.
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