Jim is now seeing fellow Gallywood actress, Nadia Buari. I asked Yvonne if she was not treading on dangerous path if indeed she had ever dated Jim Iyke.

Smiling, Yvonne told me “I am not dating Jim Iyke – and that’s the truth, but I want to confess that we have very close relationship. We have great chemistry together – call it some form of magic between us, especially when we act together.

He is a hot guy and I like him a lot. We are always together when he comes to Ghana to act in movies, I drive him around. When I am in Nigeria, he does the same for me. But does that mean that we are dating? The answer is no. We are great friends – the manner I am with Majid Michel, John Dumelo – these are great and hot friends of mine as well. Does it mean that I must date ever person that I have an on-screen chemistry with?

People should learn to be less judgmental. There is nothing wrong about having a friendship with a co-star and not talking it to the physical level.”

Given that the reason she was alleged to be a lesbian was because she had not been regularly seen with boyfriend, I asked Yvonne if she was currently dating. “I am not dating now –conventionally speaking – but I wouldn’t say that I am desperate for a relationship at the same time.

People have asked me if I don’t think I should be considering settling down, and I tell them that I appreciate their concerns but that I am still very young. I don’t have to rush to get married because everyone is doing so. When the time comes, I will get married. This may surprise you: I am a simple girl – very easy to date. If I go out with a date, it doesn’t cost the man money. I don’t order expensive champagne, I don’t order exotic meals. My drink of choice is orange juice.

Most women would say they are looking for a chiseled man –those with perfect six-packed abs – well, good luck to them. I am not interested in macho men. I am more interested with the substance-the values and the humanity the man brings to the table than with his physical or material possessions. I work hard, so I don’t expect my man to have to slave to satisfy me. I am sure this may surprise you, because any one who looks at me – analyses the roles I play – may incorrectly define me according to those roles. That is the exact opposite of what and who I am – so when the time is right for me to get married, God will bring that guy to me. “

‘No problem with Jackie’

Some years ago, it was widely reported that Yvonne was banned from Gallywood and Nollywood for one year due to her alleged rift and diva attitude toward fellow Ghanaian actress – Jackie Appiah –an actress she is said to be engaged in a fight of supremacy with. I asked Yvonne what was the status of her relationship with Jackie. In a body language that showed she was weary of being thought to entertain animosity towards Jackie, she said: “I don’t have problems with Jackie Appiah at least any that I know of. The industry is large and big enough to accommodate everyone, so the notion that I am in some form of competition with her to determine who is a better actress is ludicrous.”

“But according to published report, you were said to have been banned because you wanted same treatment given to Jackie Appiah on set to be accorded you, and when that didn’t happen, you were said to have stormed offset, leading to your being banned for conduct not befitting a top actress”, I pointedly told Yvonne. “First of all, let me set the record straight – no one banned me. I was not banned, period. I was working throughout the period they claimed I was banned. Concerning my request to be accorded same treatment as Jackie Appiah, that again is misleading and untrue.

I think I have worked hard enough and established enough bonafides to have certain things I need in the industry without having to make an issue out of those demands. I don’t know if some of these rumors emanated from camps that wanted to amplify a non-existent hostility and rivalry between Jackie and I.

I was in the university for four years and was acting at the same time. Most times, there were conflicts between my lectures and time I was supposed to be on set and I would make some demands and, most times, things didn’t go so well on set and, because I wasn’t going to compromise my studies, I tried as much as possible to manage the two competing demands. Sometimes, I had to make choices that may not have been pleasant with certain actors and producers. I want to say that I have no regrets for pursuing my education, at the same time, giving my best to the industry. It has made me a better actress – and one with a better inquiring mind”.