Ghanaian actress, filmmaker, model and Entrepreneur Martha Ankomah has outlined how she decides on joining the casting crew for a movie.

She passionately argued that if a movie does not frown on evil and inspire good for personal enrichment and national advancement, it makes no sense and is not worth her time.

Ms Ankomah said this, Tuesday, October 24, 2023, guesting on Accra 100.5 FM’s midmorning programme ‘Ayekoo Ayekoo’.

Host Akua Sonto had wondered if, prior to becoming a producer, Martha had said no to any lucrative movie roles.

“I’ve rejected a lot of roles.

“Basically, I look at the storyline, the script. If I read the script and there’s no sense in it, I will not join the cast,” Ms Ankomah answered.

She explained: “There are movies which go about in circles and appear aimless. You find no sound advice in it. It’s not something the youth can learn productive things from. So any movie without a good moral lesson, I reject.”

Another example is a script which contains scenes like “a man who sleeps with women and kills them,” she cited. “What is the viewer taking aware from such a movie, how to kill multiple women?”

According to Martha, she recently rejected a role in a Nigerian movie.

“I was bold enough to tell the person who sent the script that the story doesn’t make sense. I was straightforward, and I have said that to many producers also,” she said.

She indicated Peter Richie – seated next to her – is her witness.

Martha said this is why “nowadays, people don’t see me in a lot of movies. It’s because if the movie doesn’t make sense, I won’t show up for it”.

In Martha’s view, a good movie is not just relatable but does not encourage bad choices or promote unhealthy lifestyles.

“It is like soup which has all the ingredients that makes viewers exclaim: ‘Ah, this is a quality movie!’,” she said.

The Kiss Me If You Can star, loved for her talent and beauty, emphasised: “If it does not challenge you mentally, inspire positive change and cause development in the country, there’s no point being part of it. That’s my opinion.”

Chiming in, Peter Richie buttressed by pointing to Tyler Perry’s Acrimony as a movie “I watched five times because at every stage, I wanted to understand why this [or that] happened”.

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