As Black people, we are proud to associate ourselves with their accomplishments. Yet, what many may not realise is that a number of these acclaimed actors are actually of Ghanaian descent.
From those who have portrayed classic characters to award-winning acts, each of these renowned Black actors has earned a place in film history with outstanding work and memorable performances.
Indeed, they are among the greatest Black actors in the industry.
Peter Mensah
Peter Mensah, the Spartacus TV series star, is a Ghanaian, born in Accra. He lived in Ghana for a time before moving to the United States.
Eric Kofi-Abrefa – Supacell
Eric Kofi-Abrefa, a Ghanaian actor based in the UK, gained prominence for his role as Helicopter Merc in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) and has featured in Fury and Snowden.
Josh Tedeku – Supacell
Joshua Kwabena Banin Tedeku, a Ghanaian-British actor, is recognised for his roles in Rapman’s Netflix superhero series Supacell and the BBC Three coming-of-age comedy-drama Boarders.
Cynthia Addai-Robinson – Power
Cynthia came to prominence for her role as Amanda Waller in the Arrow TV series. She is half Ghanaian, with her mother hailing from Ghana's Eastern Region.
Ato Essandoh – The Diplomat
Ato Essilfi Bracato Essandoh is an American film and television actor of Ghanaian heritage.
David Gyasi – The Diplomat
David Kwaku Asamoah Gyasi, a Ghanaian-British actor, has appeared in films such as Cloud Atlas and Interstellar. He is also known for his roles in the BBC series White Heat and Troy: Fall of a City, the CW miniseries Containment, the Amazon Prime series Carnival Row, and Netflix’s political thriller The Diplomat.
Nana Mensah – The Diplomat
Nana Mensah, a Ghanaian-American actress, writer, and director, is known for roles in 13 Reasons Why, An African City, New Amsterdam, Bonding, and The Chair. Her directorial debut, Queen of Glory, premiered at film festivals in 2021 and was released in 2022.
Freema Agyeman – New Amsterdam
Freema, an English actress born to a Ghanaian father, is renowned for her role as Martha Jones in the BBC science fiction series Doctor Who and its spin-off Torchwood. She also starred as Amanita Caplan in the Netflix science fiction drama Sense8.
Adjoa Andoh – Bridgerton
Adjoa Aiboom Helen Andoh HonFRSL, a Ghanaian-British actress, has played leading roles on stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre, the Royal Court Theatre, and the Almeida Theatre.
Idris Elba
He is a Half Ghanaian half Sierra Leonean. But you may have come to know, this romantic actor actually loves being in Ghana more than anywhere else. He even featured on VVIP’s ‘Selfie’ song.
He is a big Hollywood star who has featured in scores of movies. He starred in Netflix’s beast of no nation with Abraham Attah, Ama K Abrebrese among other Ghanaian stars.
These actors highlight Ghana's significant impact on Hollywood and beyond, as they continue to excel and inspire globally.