Exclusive Interview With Adjetey "Pusher" Anang

Love him or hate him, Adjetey Anang is a household name. He launched himself into stardom with “Pusher”, a bad boy character role he played in the hit series 'Things We Do For Love' and has featured in films such as the Dutch production 'Slavery'.

His stage productions including August Wilson's 'Joe Turner's Come And Gone' and Eugene Ionesco's 'La Cantatrice Chauve'. Adjetey holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana.

He is involved in youth programmes, through several TV series, focusing on reproductive health issues, parent-child relationships and peer pressure, to mention a few. Adjetey is also active in his local film industry. He is part of a production house, called Sparrow Productions, whose goal is to revive Ghana's struggling film industry.

His current challenge is to gain further insight and proficiency from the Drama for Life Programme which will enable him to advance his creativity in the movie industry.

Ghanacelebrities.com caught up with the “bad boy” Pusher for an exclusive interview. Below is the exclusive interview with Pusher and he decided to share with his Fans some photos from his recent wedding(check below)...

GhanaCelebrities.com: Adjetey, Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Adjetey Anang: If I am allowed to be blunt…I hate answering this question! Who is Adjetey Anang… Hmm I think I'm just a normal guy, who has lots of love and passion for well scripted, well produced, well acted movies and believes in commitment, dedication, hard work and discipline in everything you find yourself doing. I'm currently studying for a Masters' in Dramatic Arts at Wits University in Jo'Burg and I have bigger dreams I am yet to realize!

GhanaCelebrities.com: What have you been up to lately Pusher?

Adjetey Anang: Still catching my breath after an exhausting shoot of 'A Sting in a Tale' otherwise I have been fully immersed in academic demands.

GhanaCelebrities.com: How difficult has it been for you to let go of “Pusher”, ' the bad boy' character you played in “Things We Do For Love “.

Adjetey Anang: Lol.. Its not been difficult at all! I only put on the elements of 'Pusher' when I was on the 'Things We Do for Love' set. Since then, no other role has demanded a similar character. I do miss it sometimes though!

GhanaCelebrities.com: We heard you had a private and low key wedding why that option?

Adjetey Anang: I laughed when I saw this description in the news recently! Well, I did not want an uncontrollable crowd at my wedding, but it surely wasn't “private and low key”! We had a church wedding and the reception was at a very popular events' venue. We invited 300 people but we had over 500 in attendance!

GhanaCelebrities.com: You are married to Elorm, whom you met on set. How does it feel to be in the same profession with your wife? Do you sometimes feel jealous?

Adjetey Anang: Just to make a correction, Elom is not in the same profession. She did a few stage and screen productions while at Legon, but she hasn't done any productions since then. I guess God brought her into acting so I could meet and marry her! But I remember a few episodes of “Sun City” in which she played “Khadija”. My, I did have a few jealous moments!

GhanaCelebrities.com: It was reported recently that, you said your wife manages you. What message were you putting across?

Adjetey Anang: Owing to her work, Elom is extensively involved in contract documentation and she also knows quite a bit about the movie industry so asked her to handle all my contracts including shooting scheduling, fees, and all details with respect to my work so that I can concentrate on my core business.

GhanaCelebrities.com: What has really changed about the Pusher we knew from your earlier production “Things We Do For Love”?

Adjetey Anang: Lol! Pusher is still Pusher..as far as the story potrayed. And Adjetey has remained Adjetey since the days of Pusher. Nothing has changed!

GhanaCelebrities.com: In the days of 'Things We Do For Love', people loved and referred to you as a bad boy, is this genuinely you or just a screen character?

Adjetey Anang: Lol…Well Pusher is just one of the many characters I have played since I started acting and I'm not sure if Pusher and Adjetey have anything in common at all! But I think I leave that for people to judge.

GhanaCelebrities.com: Recently, Glo, the sixth mobile company in the country unveiled their ambassadors, which includes Van Vicker, Nadia Buari, Jackie Appiah, etc.What is your opinion on celebrity endorsement.

Adjetey Anang:I have no qualms about that. It just speaks volumes of the fact that artistes are not just there to entertain, but also to add value to the growth of various sectors of the economy as well as contributing to the quality of life of our people. Associating popular faces with brands is not a new phenomenon and in fact it is probably one of the best ways by which a brand attains the solid patronage of the masses. Kudos to Glo.

GhanaCelebrities.com: how did you get into acting?

Adjetey Anang: Phew! Now that's some history. Very briefly, I was invited by Wakefield Ackuaku, a good friend of mine, for a drama rehearsal with his group (Nyankunton Players) at GBC. The group was rehearsing a script for T.V Theatre on GBC (Now GTV). Fortunately (or unfortunately?) one of the male cast did not turn up that day and so the Director asked me to read the part to assist other cast members rehearse their lines, including Kwame Sefa Kayi. Subsequently, I went with Wakefield and this turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the gentleman I was standing in for failed to turn up for a long time. I ended up taking up the role which earned me my first major acting role. That was where it all begun.

GhanaCelebrities.com: Can you tell us your experience so far in the movie industry and your perception about the Ghanaian Movie Industry.

Adjetey Anang: I have been in a few productions with the Ghana Film Industry, I played a stand-in on the HBO production 'Deadly Voyage', had a very pivotal role in a Dutch movie called 'Slavery' and of course my recent works with Sparrow Productions: Life and Living It, The Perfect Picture and A Sting in a Tale. I have been very selective though (not the same as fussy!) but it's all been in good faith. It's been a very interesting learning experience and I think I am ready to launch out into the deep. My perception about the Ghanaian movie industry is captured in these words: Ready to rumble!

GhanaCelebrities.com: In a scale of 20, how would you rate Ghanaian movies now?

Adjetey Anang: Hmmm…I would have to make some comparisons with other movie industries but since you have not offered me any such options, I would rather say that we are beginning to re-experience through Ghanaian movies, qualities that back in the day had our neighboring countries look up to us as a yardstick in the industry. Soon, we will transcend that mark. So on a scale of 1 to 20; I'd say 15 and a half!

GhanaCelebrities.com: How are you coping with stardom?

Adjetey Anang: Lol… that word. With my experiences with the 'Pusher' character, I am still just myself. I do get so much attention and favours though, but I always feel humbled and relate to both young and old fans with respect.

GhanaCelebrities.com: Any awards yet?
Adjetey Anang: Yeah, An Arts Critique and Review Association of Ghana (ACRAG) Talent Award and a Ghana Union of Theatre Societies (GUTS) Best Actor Award...eyeing a few more though!

GhanaCelebrities.com:How did you meet Shirley Frimpong Manso of Sparrow Productions?

Adjetey Anang: She gave me a call then we arranged a meeting. Apparently she had been keeping up with me by watching my productions over the years. Until then, I only knew her voice on radio.

GhanaCelebrities.com: You played a role in “Life and Living It”, “Perfect Picture” and the latest one “A Sting In A Tale”, what was the casting process like?

Adjetey Anang: I can only speak for myself. I think with Shirley's experience, she knows what she wants when she comes up with her characters. However I still go through the audition process for her to be certain on which character she believes I am best suited for. Of course there are exceptions where for example with 'A Sting in a Tale', as she indicated, she had developed the screenplay for the movie with me in mind.

GhanaCelebrities.com: Apart from Movies, are you working on any other projects or anything your fans should expect from you anytime soon?

Adjetey Anang: I do have a few personal projects in the pipeline, but not immediately, they are still at the conception stages. I've however been offered roles in a couple of movies whose scripts we are looking at currently. Besides that, I am still a student and have got my hands full with school projects.

GhanaCelebrities.com: There are a lot of young ones out there looking to go into acting, any message for such individuals and what do you want to tell your fans at large?

Adjetey Anang: I think I am an example that you got to pursue what you have a passion for, because that's where your claim to fame lies. So I would encourage anyone who desires or is passionate about professional acting to give it their best shot. To my fans, I am always humbled and grateful for your warm comments and constructive criticisms. I believe that as Artistes, we all need your inputs for our development and improvement and that of the industry at large. I wish you all the best.

GhanaCelebrities.com: Thanks for your time.
Adjetey Anang: My pleasure.

By Ebenezer Anangfio Jnr.