Grace Nortey

Last updated

Grace Nortey
Born (1937-02-01) 1 February 1937 (age 87)
Ghana
OccupationActress
Years active1970s–present
Children5

Grace Nortey (born February 1, 1937) is a Ghanaian actress who has played several lead roles on Ghanaian television. [1] She has been active in the film, theater, and drama industries for over five decades and is considered as one of the veterans of Ghanaian theatre and drama. [2]

Contents

Early life

Dignity Nortey, born on February 1, 1937, grew up in Ghana, where her upbringing played a crucial role in her eventual path towards the arts. [3]

Career

She has starred in several movie productions released by the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI). [4]

She was often typecast as a feisty, vocal, assertive, eloquent, no-nonsense, and strong-willed matriarch who confronted outmoded and discriminatory traditions and practices, including the deeply conservative views of the patriarchy, male dominance, backward and dehumanizing socio-cultural practices against women and girls, class discrimination, institutional corruption, and social injustice, among others.[ citation needed ]

Nortey's popularity is largely attributed to numerous onscreen confrontations with unwieldy and intransigent male adversaries, including the likes of Solomon Sampa, MacJordan Amartey, George Williams, Kofi Adjorlolo, and William Addo (Akpatse), among others.[ citation needed ]

Nortey was particularly active between the 80s and the turn of the millennium—the period often described as the golden age of Ghanaian theatre and drama when primetime evening entertainment TV programs such as "Obra," "Osofo Dadzie," "Key Soap Concert Party," "Cantata," "Taxi Driver," and "Thursday Theatre" were at the height of their popularity. She had starred in numerous stage productions before appearing in film and television. Before gaining fame on television, she hosted a radio talk show for Ga women ("Nyeawokoshie") on Radio One in the 1970s. Her first major appearance on the screen was in the 1986 King Ampaw/Peter Wohlgemuth-Reinery co-produced Afro Movies comic film "Juju," where she played the wife of fellow veteran actor Joe Eyison, alongside the likes of Emmanuel Agbenowu, Grace Ofoe, Osei Kwabena, and Evans Oma Hunter, among others. Some of her most notable movies include Lost Hope, Dza Gbele, Matters of the Heart, Sekina, Expectations, Jewels, Beasts of No Nation (2015), Ties That Bind (2011), Sinking Sands (2011), Nana Akoto (1985), Escape to Love (1996), and The Other Side of The Rich (1992), among others.

Problems with her physical health and eyesight in recent years mean that she no longer takes on highly scripted or physically demanding acting roles due to restrictions on her mobility and the challenges of reading long scripts. Nonetheless, she still performs minor roles in movies and drama, which require less physical movement and also provide greater scope for onset improvisation. [5]

Advocacy

Nortey is a member of the Ghana Actors Guild, which seeks to promote the welfare of members past and present.

Nortey has furthermore stressed the need for actors to obtain formal education and academic training in acting before pursuing a full-time career in the industry.

Personal life

Nortey has five children. Grace is the mother of Sheila Nortey who is also an actress.[ citation needed ]

Filmography

Film

YearFilmRoleNotes
1985Nana Akoto
1992The Other Side of the RichMrs. Ampofo
2006Frozen EmotionDirect-to-video
2008Before My EyesWummiDirect-to-video
2009My Sister's honourMrs. WillsDrama
2011 Sinking Sands Grandma
Ties That Bind Church Member
2015 Beasts of No Nation Old Witch Woman
2016Amakye and DedeComedy
2019P over DAyorkor
'95Old Woman

Later life

In her later years, Grace Nortey encountered the typical challenges associated with aging, such as health issues and a reduced role in the entertainment industry. [6]

Awards

Nortey has received several awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Black Star International Film Festival, along with honors at the Ghana Movie Awards and the Glitz Women of the Year Honours. [7]

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References

  1. ↑ "Glitz top 100 inspirational women – Page 100 – Glitz Africa Magazine" . Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  2. ↑ "Grace Nortey Marks 87th Birthday". DailyGuide Network. 5 February 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  3. ↑ "Grace Nortey biography". TheCityCeleb. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
  4. 1 2 "Grace Nortey Marks 87th Birthday". DailyGuide Network. 5 February 2024. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  5. ↑ "Grace Nortey celebrates her 80th birthday". www.ghanaweb.com. 2 February 2017. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  6. ↑ "Grace Nortey talks about life after stardom". Pulse Ghana. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
  7. ↑ "Grace Nortey biography". TheCityCeleb. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
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