Reigning Ghana Best Actor, Majid Michel ended his award drought at the African Movie Academy Awards [AMAAs] last weekend in Lagos at Eko Suite Hotels where a great chuck of African Movie Makers had assembled for an award by an African for Africans and in Africa.
Majid Michel was adjudged the Best Actor on the continent. His first AMAA win in four years with four nominations.
Winning the award for the first time after four failed attempts, Majid picked one of the biggest awards of the night at the expense of Menzi Ngubane  in ‘How To Steal 2 Million’, Chet Anekwe in ‘Unwanted Guest’, Jafta Mamabolo in ‘Otelo Burning’, Karabo Lance in ‘48’, Wale Ojo in ‘Phone Swap’ and Hakeem Kae-Kazim in ‘Man On Ground’.
Going to the 8th edition of the awards tagged as the African’s Oscar, Majid was the only actor to have been nominated [Best Actor In A Lead Role category] four consecutive times.
He went to AMAA with several other awards to his credit. As a versatile actor in Africa, Majid needed the AMAAs to add to his repertoire to aid him flex his muscles.
Majid Michel’s journey to the AMAAs started in 2009 with a nomination in the ‘Best Actor In A Lead Role’ category for his role in the movie ‘Agony of Christ’.
Majid’s versatility cannot be contested on any platform. Vying for the awards for the first time, Majid was locked in a tight category with top actors on the continent. The award eluded him and found itself in the hands of Farouk Al-Fichawi from the movie ‘Seventh Heaven’.
Perhaps not so disappointed Majid Michel had another shot of the awards in 2010 with a role in the star studded movie ‘Sin Of A Soul’. Many would agree that, that movie cemented and proved many of his doubters wrong.
Only few get the chance to be nominated twice in a row and Majid achieved that but then again, the award dodged him and was picked up by Ramsey Nouah from ‘Figurine’.
In 2011, Majid Michel broke his own record with another nomination in the movie ‘Pool Party’.
After two unsuccessful attempts, it was imperative for Majid to be confident of scooping this one home at least to make for the previous disappointments. Though actors are judged on their performances, interpreting the role given to them, their mannerisms and other stuff, I reckon one needs a bit of luck, especially when you have been nominated constantly year after year.
Majid didn’t have the luck as South African actor Themba Ndaba picked the award with the movie ‘Hopeville’.
Before the 2011 awards, Majid told GhanaCelebrities.Com that, “I will be surprised if I win it and surprised if I don’t win it”.
Now to 2012, the year Majid Michel smiled. AMAA is growing, so the competition has gotten even keener. Going to the awards, Majid had already won couple of honours with his role in ‘Somewhere In Africa’.
He even won both ‘Best Actor’ and ‘Best Supporting Actor’ at the last Ghana Movie Awards with the same movie. Though the AMAA Jury is not under any obligation to award Majid because another award scheme had awarded him, anything short of that would have raised eyebrows.
When Hollywood based actress, Lynn Whitfield mentioned Majid Michel as the one to pick the award for 2012 AMAAs Best Actor, the loud applause and shouts corroborated the Jury’s choice in picking the Ghanaian actor.
Rather excited Majid said:
“This is my AMAA awards 2012. Today is a memorable day for me. I have been nominated for the past 4 years consecutively. I didn’t see it coming. I had a bet with my advisor- Mawuli. He told me I was going to win but I said no I don’t deserve it. So if I win I will give him the award, (he gave the statuette to Mawuli who was on stage with him and others), but I will take it later.”
“I want to say big thanks to you my wife, my sister, my mum paid my film fees and to my father, who is late. To all single people here thank you so much for the support. I can see some faces; Nse, Rita, Kate … I don’t want to say much. I think the time is ticking. Thank you so much AMAA awards. Great job for me; next year I will be back.”
That’s Majid Michel’s African Movie Academy Awards journey so far. Like he said “next year I will be back”, let’s wait for what he has in store.
Listen to GC’s audio interview with Majid Below
[audio:http://ghcelebrity.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Majid-audio.mp3|titles=Majid Michel On AMAA Winning]