Collins Sarpong
Veteran actor Collins Agyemang Sarpong of ‘Taxi Driver’ fame has said he is not pursuing full time acting career because he doubts it will earn him enough to take care of his family.
According to him, when he started acting he was not sure he could afford to offer his children quality education while in acting.
He, therefore, took a decision to branch into procurement and the banking sector.
Speaking in an interview with NEWS-ONE over the weekend, he felt vindicated today because a number of his legendary acting colleagues are struggling to take care of themselves.
He alleged such an anomaly exists in the movie industry because of some group of people he described as “cheats”. Producers, he alleged, are part of that group.
“All along I have been an actor and that has been my first love. I love acting. It just comes and I don’t need to train…but can acting put food on my table. At times I do ask myself granted I am doing full time will I have car? Will I be having a house for myself? Will I be able to take care of my children and put them to good schools? I don’t know,” he intimated.
“I am getting close to 30 years since I started acting and if now we have actors being struck by malaria and they can’t take care of themselves. You see seasoned actors and we call them legends but they can’t take care of themselves. Why?” he asked.
“My office overlooks the James Town sea and I always ask myself why am I here? I should be elsewhere. But if I come down and say let me do full time acting will be able to give that happiness that I give to my family now? No. Why is the industry like that?” he asked again.
Collins Agyemang Sarpong is one of Ghana’s respected actors. He started acting on stage from early 80s and is known for his roles in ‘Home Sweet Home’, ‘Taxi Driver’, ‘Hotel St James’, Run Baby Run, ‘Dada Boat’, ‘Small World’ and other TV series.
He is married with children and works with the Standard Chartered Bank as head of procurement and supply chain. He is also the president of the Ghana Institute of Procurement and Supply (GiPS). He joggles between procurement and acting careers.
But he said, “I have not really left the movie scene. I have been in and out. Every two years I come and do one thing but to quantify it I will say I have been out of the industry for 10 years.”
He also announced a new project with award director Ivan Quarshigah.