Celebrated Ghanaian actor Adjetey Anang has recalled how he was rarely considered for any other roles apart from 'bad boy' roles at the beginning of his acting career.
In an interview on 3FM on July 8, 2024, Adjetey Anang, who became famous for his role as 'Pusher' in the popular series 'Things We Do For Love', shared his experiences with typecasting in the film industry.
Anang remembered how, after his breakthrough role, he was only offered scripts featuring similar 'bad boy' characters.
"It wasn't easy at all because right after or even during 'Things We Do For Love', I did have scripts coming with similar characters because they thought that, 'Oh, you're the guy who can play it best.' And it was consistent..." he said.
Realizing that the industry's perception of him could impact his career, he decided to turn down such roles.
"I was like, 'no, this is gonna stick.' Because, in society out there, people were thinking that perhaps I am the character and that's how I can live up to the character so well. I needed to change that perception.
"And one of the ways I thought could help was by making sure that I don't keep playing those kinds of roles or characters over and over.
"And so it was deliberate... They were not even considering me for any other," he said.
His determination paid off when director Shelley Frimpong-Manso recognized his talent beyond the 'bad boy' stereotype, casting him in diverse roles that allowed him to showcase his range as an actor.
"I think Shelley made that difference, also helped, contributed very well. She had seen me on stage playing other roles, and she gave me the opportunity to also excel in other roles. And then people were like, oh, okay, let's give him a chance," he said.
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