There is a notion out there that actresses and actors from the Kumawood industry don’t know how to speak fluent English hence the reason to feature in local movies.
But the narrative is changing as more educated people join the Kumawood industry.
Actress Gloria Sarfo has shared the challenges she encountered at the start of her acting career after featuring in the popular TV series Efiewura.
She stated that because of her Efiewura role English-speaking producers sidelined her because they thought she couldn’t speak the King’s language.
“Before I used to get worried, I use to talk a lot. Because of the Efiewura tag, people thought I couldn’t even express myself in the English Language so everything was about I am a local actress because of Efiewura.
“I was actually told that because of my active roles in local series, I have a least chance to be given a role as a wealthy man’s daughter in any glamour movie. Like, are we that shallow?
“But thankfully, AMVCA, it was speaking Twi that got me there. Speaking twi is my identity, this is who I am. Thanks to Shirley Frimpong Manso, she knows I do Efiewura but she was like, ‘Gloria, do it your own way, blend the dialogue with the twi language if you are comfortable with it. Do your own thing’. I did that and it worked and with God, it became successful,” she said.