How a bar with naughty boys became Adjetey Anang’s classroom

Among the things Adjetey Anang prioritises in his acting career is research, as he states that “An actor has to do a lot of research when defining his role and character as this helps him interpret it in a more convincing way” and upholding this “basic rule in acting” once landed him at a bar in his neighbourhood.

This was somewhere in 2003 when he was tasked to play the role of Pusher in the TV series ‘Things We Do For Love’.

“I was skeptical about playing the role,” he stated in his memoir as sighted by GhanaWeb. “It was enough that I was acting but to play a role that was so in contrast to the real me, was definitely going to be a challenge. Yet I wasn't one to walk away from challenges, and began to plan how best I could play the role without becoming the character himself.”

“There was a bar in our neighbourhood that housed a few naughty boys in the area. I would go there and buy a bottle of coke and sip on it for hours just so I could observe how they talked and carried themselves. That way I could imitate a few things and include them in my act.”

He continued: “So the bar became my classroom; I adopted a lot of the things I did on the show from the customers of that bar. Some of them were loud and crazy. I really picked up a lot of traits from them.

“I am very sure the bartenders wondered why I would sip on one drink for so long. As you may have guessed, those were tough times and I didn't want to spend money on two drinks when I could keep sipping on one for an hour while I gathered my data.”

Adjetey Anang played the role so well that the producer and director Ivan Quashigah, who initially had doubts about his abilities was amazed at how he executed the task.

“Adjetey brought life to the character and made the show a good one. He definitely was the best man to play the role and I am glad we afforded him the opportunity to do just that,” said Ivan Quashigah.

Adjetey Anang, 50, launched his memoir on his golden jubilee anniversary. The memoir titled ‘Adjetey Anang: A story of Faith, Imperfection and Resilience’ tells Adjetey Anang’s journey to stardom, his impact, lessons, struggles, and the sacrifices which have shaped him over the years.

It also reveals the relatable individual behind the varied captivating screen characters he has played over the years, including the legendary Pusher from the iconic TV series Things We Do for Love which was a sex education production.

The actor has over the years shot many movies including ‘Citation’, ‘Keteke’, ‘Azali’ and ‘Devil in the Detail’. He has won multiple awards including Best Actor at the African Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and Actor of the Year (2021 & 2022) at the Exclusive Man of the Year Awards Africa.

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