Veteran Ghanaian actress, Belinda Naa Ode Oku, famously known as Adwoa Smart, has disclosed the harsh realities behind her decades-long career in Ghana’s entertainment industry.
Despite becoming a household name in the early 2000s and appearing in numerous popular productions, Adwoa Smart revealed she continues to face serious financial struggles, largely due to assumptions and systemic issues within the film industry.
“Where I stay is not good enough. When my siblings tell people we are related, they will be wondering if it’s true. Then they will start making assumptions that we are rich,” she said in a heartfelt interview with Kwaku Manu.
According to the screen legend, public perception rarely matches her lived reality. Fame, she said, often leads people to create illusions about a lavish lifestyle she simply does not have.
“Some people also think I live in a mansion at Trassaco. Some too think if it’s not Trassaco, then I live in the rich estates and living life. It’s never been easy for me.”
The actress didn’t hold back when addressing the root of the problem, pointing fingers at some film producers who she says exploit actors by withholding payment.
“The fact that some producers wouldn’t want to pay after working for them. They would call you to come and shoot for them, then they will say they will pay after the shoot but they never pay.”
Her comments also shed light on a broader issue of financial injustice in the industry, which she believes continues even after an actor’s passing.
“Even most of the actors who are late, the producers owe them. People will always see you on the screen but you don’t have money.”
Watch the interview below.
