Actress Martha Ankomah of Ghana has spoken out against colorism in the local film business, exposing that actor with darker skin tones frequently encountered prejudice and pressure to lighten their skin to land parts.
At the 2025 PCH Hangouts at ICGC New Wine Temple in East Legon, Ankomah talked about how a producer made fun of her skin tone, saying, “Martha, you are too black. You won’t sparkle when we shine the lights on you, like we do when we act.”
The actress claims that because of these prejudices in the profession, many of her coworkers lightened their skin tone in order to conform to the ideal of beauty. “Most of my coworkers began bleaching as a result of that pressure, which is why some of them are fair. Some Ghanaian films were not fair in the past, but they are today because they had to uphold it, as anyone who has seen them for a time will know.
Ankomah defied the trend in spite of the pressure, citing her background, faith, and knowledge as reasons for her choice. “The Bible states that wisdom begins with fear of God, so I praise God for wisdom. I’m grateful for my parents. My mom is a devout Pentecostal, and my dad was an Adventist. May he rest in peace.
“It takes the grace of God”
When considering her career path, the actor recognized the difficulties she encountered prior to the emergence of social media.
It hasn’t been simple. It has only been by God’s grace. There was nothing like to Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, or Twitter when we first started. She revealed, “It was just you being featured on a poster.”
She also addressed reports that performers were putting themselves in risky situations to further their careers, emphasizing that pressures of this kind are present in all professions. “I have no doubt that individuals go to great lengths to be where you work. Believe me, it’s everywhere, but saying no to a lot of things requires God’s grace.
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