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| Adjoa P ‘Acting Has Been Fun’ |
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| Posted on: 2007-May-17 GNA |
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Adjoa Pieterson, known in showbiz circles as Adjoa P, has been acting for the past 21 years and still brims with enthusiasm about playing roles.
She simply loves what she does and says amidst giggling, “It’s been fun and I love every bit of it.”
Interestingly, her first appearance on television was as a dancer in a programme on Ghana Television (GTV) hosted by the late Dusty Wayne called Weekend Rendezvous. The show was produced by the late Adwoa Abankwah-Duodo.
Adjoa P credits Adwoa Abankwa-Duodo for encouraging her into acting. Adwoa invited her over to GTV a number of times till she was spotted by Mama Oye, the producer of TV Theatre.
She recalls being given a script to play the role of a stubborn girlfriend in The Passing Cloud alongside the likes of Grace Nortey.
“It was a very nice experience for me and I enjoyed acting for the first time on the screen. The feedback I got was encouraging,” she told this reporter with her usual beautiful smile.
Acting certainly did not end there for Adjoa P who was again invited by Nana Bosumpra, the producer of Osofo Dadzie, as a guest artiste on the programme.
Those were probably the most exciting days in her acting career as Adjoa P recalls having great fun being on set with the likes of Kojo Kwakye, Fred Addai, Super OD and the rest of the Osofo Dadzie cast. “It was great fun working with them and I really cherish those moments.”
Adjoa P became more popular whilst with Osofo Dadzie as she landed roles in publications like Joy Ride, Weekend Advisor and Super Agede.
“Joy Ride was very very popular and the response was overwhelming. I actually had students writing to me to enquire about subsequent issues. It was a wonderful experience,” she recalled with excitement. Nana Bosumpra was her manager at the time.
After two years, the Osofo Dadzie main cast travelled abroad and those left behind came together to form Daakye.
“Daakye did not do badly.
I stayed with them for about a year and moved on to join the Stars Theatre in Tema,” she said.
According to Adjoa, even though TV Theatre is off the screen, Stars Theatre still exists and those who have travelled outside the country still consider themselves members.
Joining the group was definitely one of the best things to have happened to Adjoa P because that is where she met her husband Kojo Demanya with whom she has six boys: two sets of twins and two singles.
“They are my source of joy and happiness. I’m so used to boys because of them and I know how to handle boys so well.” Her boys are also very proud of their mum but can’t help getting emotional sometimes when watching her on the screen.
Adjoa said there was this time when the family was watching Things We Do For Love and there was a scene in which she was suffering from stomach ache and was struggling. “You won’t believe this but they all started crying and even made me cry.”
Adjoa P said her husband tried hard to explain to them that she was only acting but they would not stop crying.
That is just the least of the “wahala” that comes with acting for Adjoa P.
Another incident that remains fresh on her mind is when she went to the United States a couple of years ago. “I went job hunting in New York and was easily recognised by the many Ghanaians who had also come for the orientation, a member of the panel asked why everyone was starring at me.
When she found out that I was a star in my country, she requested for my passport which I could not present because of a personal reason.
Adjoa P said she lost that opportunity though that job was going to pay her very well. Occupational hazard, one may call it.
Inspite of that, she had a lot of fun signing autographs wherever she visited in the US. It was gratifying to know that people appreciate what she does.
Adjoa P’s very first movie was Mataa. She has also starred in a number of local productions with one of the latest being Gift of Life.
She was part of the cast that played in the television serial, Things We do For Love. She also played in Bloody Mary and is currently part of Broadway in which she plays Sophia Mills, a single mother with two children.
Aside television series, her face can also be seen in commercials like good old OK Soap, Piccadilly, One Step, Hewlett Computers and the latest one Onetouch advertisement which also features her husband Kojo Demanya.
Adjoa P admires the late Kojo Kwakye and Fred Addai who used to give her such a good laugh during the Osofo Dadzie days. She also admires the late Suzzie Williams who played her daughter in Bloody Mary.
A great source of inspiration to her is her late mother who was very supportive of her in her career till she passed away. “She used to help me a lot especially with my costumes and was easily recognised wherever she went out as Adjoa P’s mother.”
Adjoa P believes that there is no unity in the film industry. She finds that sad because a united front would have gone a long way to help the industry grow. “We have come a long way and have the experience.Though we keep emphasising this, no one is listening.”
Aside acting, Adjoa P is a caterer who has just completed an advanced level in cake decoration and will graduate next month. “It was hectic going to school with my tight schedule as a wife, mother and actress but I was able to handle it with determination,” she said.
When she is not on set or busy handling orders, Adjoa P who is a Fanti from Elmina loves to read, listen to music and watch movies. She adores Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington. She also has a great passion for soccer and goes to the stadium to see live matches. She is an Accra Hearts of Oak and Chelsea fan.
Have you seen her dreadlocks? They are natural and Adjoa has worn them for three years. She insists she is not a rastafarian. She worships at the St Stephen’s Anglican Church in Tema. “I just love the dreadlocks. I love reggae music a lot especially reggae gospel.”
Thinking of inviting her for lunch? A dish of banku with okro stew will do just fine.
Story by Jayne Buckman-Owoo
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