Ghanaian actress and businesswoman Beverly Afaglo has shared the struggles she encountered during the early stages of her acting career, pointing out a preference for lighter-skinned actors.
During an appearance on The Career Trail program on Joy Learning TV and Joy News, she explained that at the time, many film producers favored casting half-caste or fair-skinned actors, making it tough for dark-skinned performers to land roles.
“In those days, most producers wanted half-caste actors. I think Jackie Appiah was the only exception because she had already become a star, so they needed her,” she recalled. Afaglo also mentioned that producers felt lighter-skinned actors looked more appealing on screen, influencing their casting choices.
“Producers believed that light-skinned actors appeared better on television. As a result, they mostly chose lighter-skinned people,” she explained.
Despite this bias, she stressed that dark-skinned actors had plenty of talent. “There was talent. It wasn’t about beauty or what you wore. Everyone was eager to act. People were fearless and could memorize lines in a minute because, when you had the chance to audition, it was your only shot. The line behind you was so long that you didn’t want to make a mistake. But the bias in casting made it harder for us to break into the industry,” she shared.
However, she observed that the industry eventually evolved, and producers began to cast more dark-skinned actors when certain roles demanded diversity. “There came a point when they had no choice but to cast us because many of the stories being told were about kingdoms, princesses, and themes of ‘girl power.’ You couldn’t just use one light-skinned actor; you needed a variety. So, they knew they had to include us,” she concluded.
