Martha Ankomah
Actress Martha Ankomah has alleged that dark-skinned actors in the Ghana movie industry were pressured to bleach their skin to fit beauty standards.
Speaking at the PCH Hangouts 2025 Edition, an event organized by the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) Martha shared her personal experiences with colourism and discrimination.
She recalled being told by a movie producer that her dark complexion was a disadvantage on set.
“Martha, you are too black… The lights we use in filmmaking won’t make you stand out,” she recounted.
According to Martha, these industry biases led some actors to resort to skin bleaching in order to secure roles and fit societal beauty standards.
“If you’ve been following Ghanaian films for years, you’ll notice that some actors who were once dark-skinned are now much lighter because they felt the need to maintain that appearance,” she observed.
Despite the pressure, Martha Ankomah said she never gave in—crediting her strong Christian upbringing for helping her stay true to herself.
She acknowledged the influence of her late father, an Adventist, and her mother, a devout Pentecost member, in shaping her values.
“The Bible teaches that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom,” she added.