Grace Nortey

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Grace Nortey (born February 1, 1937) is a Ghanaian actress who has played several lead roles on Ghanaian television.^[1] She has been active in the film, theater, and drama industries for over five decades and is considered as one of the veterans of Ghanaian theatre and drama. ^[2]

Dignity Nortey, born on February 1, 1937, grew up in Ghana, where her upbringing played a crucial role in her eventual path towards the arts.^[3]

She has starred in several movie productions released by the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI).^[4]

She was often typecast as a feisty, vocal, assertive, eloquent, no-nonsense, and strong-willed matriarch who confronted outmoded and discriminatory traditions and practices, including the deeply conservative views of the patriarchy, male dominance, backward and dehumanizing socio-cultural practices against women and girls, class discrimination, institutional corruption, and social injustice, among others.^{[citation needed]}

Nortey's popularity is largely attributed to numerous onscreen confrontations with unwieldy and intransigent male adversaries, including the likes of Solomon Sampa, MacJordan Amartey, George Williams, Kofi Adjorlolo, and William Addo (Akpatse), among others.^{[citation needed]}

Nortey was particularly active between the 80s and the turn of the millennium—the period often described as the golden age of Ghanaian theatre and drama when primetime evening entertainment TV programs such as "Obra," "Osofo Dadzie," "Key Soap Concert Party," "Cantata," "Taxi Driver," and "Thursday Theatre" were at the height of their popularity. She had starred in numerous stage productions before appearing in film and television. Before gaining fame on television, she hosted a radio talk show for Ga women ("Nyeawokoshie") on Radio One in the 1970s. Her first major appearance on the screen was in the 1986 King Ampaw/Peter Wohlgemuth-Reinery co-produced Afro Movies comic film "Juju," where she played the wife of fellow veteran actor Joe Eyison, alongside the likes of Emmanuel Agbenowu, Grace Ofoe, Osei Kwabena, and Evans Oma Hunter, among others. Some of her most notable movies include Lost Hope, Dza Gbele, Matters of the Heart, Sekina, Expectations, Jewels, Beasts of No Nation (2015), Ties That Bind (2011), Sinking Sands (2011), Nana Akoto (1985), Escape to Love (1996), and The Other Side of The Rich (1992), among others.

Problems with her physical health and eyesight in recent years mean that she no longer takes on highly scripted or physically demanding acting roles due to restrictions on her mobility and the challenges of reading long scripts. Nonetheless, she still performs minor roles in movies and drama, which require less physical movement and also provide greater scope for onset improvisation.^[5]

Nortey is a member of the Ghana Actors Guild, which seeks to promote the welfare of members past and present.

Nortey has furthermore stressed the need for actors to obtain formal education and academic training in acting before pursuing a full-time career in the industry.

Nortey has five children. Grace is the mother of Sheila Nortey who is also an actress.^{[citation needed]}

In her later years, Grace Nortey encountered the typical challenges associated with aging, such as health issues and a reduced role in the entertainment industry.^[6]

Nortey has received several awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Black Star International Film Festival, along with honors at the Ghana Movie Awards and the Glitz Women of the Year Honours.^[7]

• Best Cameo Actress (Movie: "Adams Apple") - Ghana Movie Awards (2011^[4])
• Excellence in Arts - Glitz Women of the Year Honours (2016)
• Lifetime Achievement Award - Black Star International Film Festival (BSIFF) Awards (2018)
• Legendary Award for Outstanding Contributions: Ghana Actors Entertainment Award (GAEA) - (2020)
• Outstanding Contribution to Women's Excellence in The Performing Arts - 3Music Awards Women's Brunch (2021)