My bad boy role in 'Pusher' attracted producers to always give me such roles — Adjetey Annang

Celebrated Ghanaian actor Adjetey Anang has shared how his portrayal of 'Pusher' in the popular series 'Things We Do For Love' led to a string of similar 'bad boy' roles at the start of his acting career.

In an interview on 3FM, Anang discussed the challenges he faced with typecasting in the film industry.

"It wasn't easy at all because right after or even during 'Things We Do For Love', I did have scripts coming with similar characters because they thought that, 'Oh, you're the guy who can play it best.' And it was consistent," he recalled.

Realizing that the industry's narrow perception could limit his career, Anang made a conscious decision to reject such roles.

"I was like, 'No, this is gonna stick.' Because, in society out there, people were thinking that perhaps I am the character and that's how I can live up to the character so well. I needed to change that perception," he explained.

To break free from the typecasting, Anang deliberately avoided taking on 'bad boy' roles.

He emphasized that it was crucial for him to diversify his acting portfolio.

"And one of the ways I thought could help was by making sure that I don't keep playing those kinds of roles or characters over and over. And so it was deliberate... They were not even considering me for any other," he said.

His efforts to shift perceptions bore fruit when director Shirley Frimpong-Manso recognized his broader acting abilities.

She cast him in a variety of roles, enabling him to demonstrate his versatility.

"I think Shirley made that difference, also helped, contributed very well. She had seen me on stage playing other roles, and she gave me the opportunity to also excel in other roles. And then people were like, oh, okay, let's give him a chance," Anang said.