There are no qualms about her acting talent. There is no question about her good looks. And so far she has stayed firmly on the shores of trouble, holding herself from falling into the sea of scandals in which some movie stars constantly swim. But there is one question that Ghanaians want Yvonne Okoro to answer ‘once and for all’!

“Yvonne, are you a Ghanaian or Nigerian?” On behalf of the many Ghanaian movie lovers who have this question on their lips, The Mirror demanded an answer from the fine lady.

“Hahaha, this question again! Well, I am half Nigerian and half Ghanaian. My father comes from the Abia State in Nigeria, which means that I am an Igbo, and my mother is from Enyan Abaasa in the Central Region, which also makes me a Fante and for that matter Ghanaian,” Yvonne replied in a tone that knocked in a nail to seal the matter.

Yvonne was quoted as saying, “I don’t think my nationality should be important. I am just an African”. And she has reiterated that.

She was born Yvonne Chinyere Okereke Okoro to a Nigerian father and a Ghanaian mother. Ever since she hit the silver screens about eight years ago, movie lovers in the two countries, Nigeria and Ghana have silently struggled to ‘claim’ her but she insists that the Africannes in her supersedes all other lineages.

Indeed, this New Year, (2011), Yvonne is praying for the continent to produce better movies that will feature actors and actresses who would churn out better performances in front of the cameras.

“When I talk about better movies I mean films that will not only entertain and inform the people but also educate them, because I believe education is the key to the development of the continent”.

She also expressed the hope that actors and actresses will develop their language, be it English, Twi etc so that the good messages in the movies will be better disseminated.

Yvonne said subtitles must show exactly what the actors and actresses are saying in the movies. The situation where what is written on the screens deviate from what is being said must stop.

“But Yvonne, people say you are not very friendly and you do not like talking to the press. Any comments?” “Who? Me? Oh, that is not true. As I am talking to you now I am on set shooting a movie but I have made time to talk to you so that should be enough to tell anybody that I am very open!”

And indeed, Yvonne made all her cell phone numbers available to this reporter and responded to all queries while on break during the shooting of a movie that will hit the screens soon.

The interaction with Yvonne revealed a principled individual rather than a snobbish fellow. Her seeming high sense of discipline might have germinated from the seeds of orderliness that her large family planted in her.

Indeed, Yvonne believes she can accomplish whatever she wants to do with determination and perseverance.

She is the first child of her mother, and the fifth born of all siblings from both parents. Her strict dad who believes in education didn’t like the fact that she chose acting over education, but the fact is that Yvonne has not chosen the screen over school.

She has had a long walk through the corridors of formal education and she has plans to keep walking. Yvonne attended Achimota Preparatory School, after which she went to the Lincoln Community School then to Faith Montessori School. The Mfanstiman Girls Senior High School was her next stop.

She later studied and obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and Linguistics from the University of Ghana, Legon. She continued later at the Universite’ De Nantes in France, where she studied French Civilisation and Culture as well as Drama and Marketing.

Yvonne cut her teeth in the movie industry in 2002 after her Senior High Education. Her first movie was ‘Sticking to the Promise’ produced by the Nigerian producer, Theo Akatugba.

She also played a cameo role in the hit miniseries ‘Tentacles’ produced by the same producer for Point Blank Media Concepts.

Her good performances in the above productions ‘threw’ her into a big movie, ‘Beyonce’, which was her first major movie. She starred alongside Jackie Appiah in the Abdul Sallam Mumuni film produced by Venus Films.

She has more than 12 movies to her credit. They include Beyonce, Beyonce 2, The Return Of Beyonce, The Return Of Beyonce 2; The President’s Daughter; The President’s Daughter 2; Play, 4Play Reloaded, Desperate To Survive, The Game, Agony Of Christ, Royal Battle, Queen Of Dreams and ‘Le Hotelier’ a French production.

Yvonne loves the screens but she also has her eyes on the Bar and is keen on pursuing her dream of becoming a Lawyer. She also enjoys writing and is presently working on her first book which will hit the shelves soon.

For the men out there who have been fantasising about ‘quality times’ with Yvonne; she says yes she is single but not available.

Yvonne enjoys reading and cooking. Give her a plate of rice and stew garnished with vegetables and you may always see her at meals time in your home.