Ghanaian actor and filmmaker Kwaku Manu has taken a swipe at some veteran actors for what he describes as resistance to the changing realities of the country’s movie industry.

According to Kwaku Manu, born Kwaku Manu Asare, some established actors initially refused roles in YouTube productions because they did not regard the platform as a credible outlet for films.

“In the movie industry, we have old actors who are worrisome. At first, when you call some actors for YouTube films, they will tell you they won’t do it. They would ask where you are taking the movies to, and when you mention YouTube, they would say, as for YouTube, they don’t want to be in those kinds of movies,” he said.

The actor said such reservations are misplaced, arguing that YouTube has become another major avenue through which filmmakers distribute their work, just as television stations did in the past.

“It’s as if they don’t know it’s the same as taking the films to TV stations,” he stated.

Kwaku Manu further complained that some older actors find it difficult to adjust their performances when directors introduce approaches that differ from the styles they became accustomed to during their prime.

“There are some veteran actors too who, when you want to direct them to do the job in a certain way, they would want to take you back to their old style. They will make some demands that are unnecessary in this era and if they stress on that, we will leave them behind because there’s no time,” he shared.

He also stressed the need for actors to study scripts before arriving on set, particularly because productions can change during filming.

“We all work with scripts. No director will go on set and say they didn’t bring a script. Sometimes, you can take a script to set, but the story also changes. As an actor, it’s very important to get the script so that you will really understand what you’re about to shoot,” he noted.

Despite his criticism, Kwaku Manu acknowledged that the industry cannot afford to sideline its veteran stars, whose experience remains valuable to younger generations.

“But then again, we’re also growing old. If you don’t work with the old actors, you might not also be featured in movies when you grow old. They even have more experience than the young actors, so we still need them,” he added.

His comments have reignited the broader conversation about whether Ghana’s veteran actors are adapting quickly enough to the digital era, where YouTube and other online platforms have increasingly become important outlets for local film production.

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Source: Yvonne Nyarko Agyemang