Ghanaian actress Ama K. Abebrese has opened up about the numerous challenges actors face both within the industry and beyond. In an interview with Joy Prime’s Roselyn Felli on the late afternoon show, Changes, she emphasized that resilience is crucial in navigating the complexities of securing movie roles.
“I hear ‘I want to act’ all the time. Being an actor is one of the most disappointing things you can be, regardless of where you are in the world,” she shared. Abebrese explained the emotional rollercoaster of auditioning for roles, recalling instances where she was called back multiple times, only to ultimately not be cast. “It builds you up and pushes you down. So, you need to have a tough skin because it gets to a point where you start taking it personally,” she added.
Reflecting on her journey, Abebrese noted that she has attended more auditions than movies she has actually been part of throughout her career. Despite facing disappointment, including losing out on over twenty roles in the past year alone, she remains undeterred. “It’s usually a difficult and painful encounter, but I accept it as part of the industry,” she stated, explaining that each experience sharpens her skills and strengthens her resolve to keep auditioning.
She pointed out that occasionally, losing a role can lead to a better understanding of the casting decisions. “If I didn’t get it, it just meant sometimes it’s not for me. You find out who got the role, and then you understand why you were not chosen,” she explained.
Throughout her career in the creative industry, Abebrese has appeared in approximately twenty films but expresses contentment with that number, emphasizing that the quality and impact of the films matter more to her than quantity. She has featured in notable films like ‘Beast of No Nation,’ a role for which she auditioned, as well as other acclaimed local and international productions including Sinking Sands, Double-Cross, and Azali, among others.
