2011 African Movie Academy Awards ‘Best Actor in a Leading Role’ nominee, Jimmy Jean-Louis was recently spotted with celebrities such as Nicole Richie and Kanye West at the Jean-Paul Gaultier show during the Paris Fashion Week Fall /winter 2012. The Haitian Hollywood star is currently in Paris shooting a new movie that he is doing in France and Martinique.

Jimmy plays the role of Toussaint Louverture, the man who gave Haiti its independence from France in 1804. Toussaint-Louverture was the leader of the Haitian Revolution, the first successful revolution by a slave population in the Americas. He is noted for his military genius and political acumen which prepared the way for the creation of the independent black state of Haiti. The success of the Haitian Revolution had enduring effects on shaking the institution of slavery throughout the New World.

Jimmy Jean-Louis describes the role as his most important role to date. The actor who gained mass acceptance in Africa for his role as a Nigerian in the hit romantic comedy, ‘Phat Girlz’, continues explore African movies.  He starred in three of the movies that are currently gunning for honours at the 2011 African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA). Jimmy’s role as an abusive husband in the psychological drama, ‘Sinking Sands’, earned him a ‘Best Actor in A Leading Role’ nomination.

Jimmy comments that it’s good to have an event like the African Movie Academy Awards in Africa because it is necessary to celebrate “ourselves” just so the rest of the world can pay attention. “The African cinema has great potential; it has improved a lot in the past few years. I took great pleasure in collaborating with very talented African film makers, inside and outside of the continent. ‘Precipice’ was shot in London by Julius Amedume (Ghana);’In America, The Story of Soul Sisters’ was shot in Boston by Rahman Oladigbolu (Nigeria),and ‘Sinking Sands’ was shot in Ghana by Leila Djansi (Ghana).”

Commenting on his chances of winning the Best Actor nod , Jimmy said: “I don’t know if I will win, I think all nominated actors are winners.”