Actors Snub Actors

Some Twi speaking actors are complaining about the snobbish manner English speaking actors treat them when they meet at film-related events.

One of the unhappy actors, Kumasi-based Kwaku Manu, who has several movies to his credit, told Graphic Showbiz that several times he had tried chatting with some of the English-speaking glamour-type actors at events and the responses he had received were rather chilly, “as though those of us who act in Twi are second-rate”, he said.

Citing an example of one such embarrassment moments, Kwaku Manu said during the 2011 Ghana Movie Awards event he personally approached three English-speaking actors in a conversation and their reaction suggested that they did not recognise him as a colleague actor.

He said on another occasion even when colleague actress Nana Ama McBrown introduced him to some English - speaking actors at an event, he experienced similar humiliation. “I get the impression that they see themselves as being better than us and therefore they look down on us”.

Actor Salinco, also a very popular Twi-speaking actor was more candid about his experiences. He told Showbiz there had been several occasions Majid Michel has shunned him. “I have met Majid several times and anytime I try talking to him, he doesn't even look at me or consider me as a human being. I believe we are all actors so if the English speaking actors are looking down on us, then we are not united.”

On his part, Actor Akrobeto disclosed to Showbiz that he was aware of the situation and because of that he does not go close to the English speaking actors to avoid any embarrassment.

“Most of the glamour actors feel they are more educated than us and therefore they do not want to mingle with us but that is cool with me because I don’t go close to them either. Whether you believe it or not, the Twi-speaking actors make more money than they do so if they think they are big I don’t give a hoot about it” Abrobeto said.

When Showbiz contacted popular English-speaking actor Van Vicker for his view, he denied knowledge of any such snobbery and said that he in particular was cool with every actor be they Twi or English speaking.

According to him “If any Twi- speaking actor has been embarrassed by any of his colleague actors then that was an unfortunate situation but he felt that attitude should not be encouraged. “I have always said that no actor can stay on top forever, there is time for everybody so why don’t we all come together as one?”

Van Vicker referred to his new movie release Jonny Waka which featured the very popular Twi-speaking Agya Koo to prove that he was at peace with every actor and spoke of his desire to do Twi movies himself and wished that his spoken Twi was better.

Actress Emelia Brobbey who acts in both English and Twi movies said she has never experienced such a thing before. “I feel bad about my colleagues who are complaining about the issue because so far as acting is concerned there is nothing like Twi or English actor, we are all actors so why should one shun one another?”.

Source: Graphic showbiz