Ghanaian actress Martha Ankomah has spoken candidly about the challenges dark-skinned actors face in the local movie industry, particularly the pressure to lighten their skin to secure roles.
Speaking at the PCH Hangouts 2025 Edition at ICGC New Wine Temple, East Legon, she recalled an incident where a producer openly criticized her complexion. “Martha, you are too black… the lights we use in acting, when we put the light on you, you won’t shine,” she was told. According to her, this kind of bias has long influenced casting decisions, forcing many actors to alter their skin tone to fit the industry’s preferred beauty standards. “Because of that pressure, most of my colleagues started bleaching, and that’s how come some of them are fair. If you’ve been watching Ghanaian movies for a while, you’ll know that some of them were not fair before, but now they are because they had to maintain it,” she explained.
Despite the industry’s unspoken rules, Ankomah refused to conform, crediting her faith, wisdom, and upbringing for her decision. She expressed gratitude for the values instilled in her by her parents, particularly their strong Christian beliefs. “The Bible says the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. I thank God for my parents… my dad was an Adventist, may he rest in peace, and my mom is a strict Pentecostal,” she shared. She also reflected on how different the industry was before the rise of social media, highlighting how actors once relied solely on physical posters for promotion. “It hasn’t been easy. It has just been the grace of God. When we started, there was nothing like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, or Twitter. It was just you being put on a poster,” she said, emphasizing how limited opportunities for exposure were at the time.
Ankomah also addressed the widespread perception that actors engage in questionable activities to secure roles. She acknowledged that such pressures exist, but not just in the entertainment industry. “I’m sure wherever you are working too, people do all sorts of things just to be there. So it’s everywhere, trust me, but it takes the grace of God for you to say no to a lot of things,” she stated. Her words highlight the difficult choices actors must make in a competitive industry where personal values are often tested. Through it all, Ankomah has remained steadfast, proving that success is possible without compromising one’s principles.
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