Award-winning actress Yvonne Okoro, who is rated as one of Ghana’s richest actresses, has refuted claims that she has made a lot of money from acting.
The ‘Ghana Must Go’ actress and producer revealed that she didn’t make her money from acting as is being speculated, hinting that “acting in Ghana doesn’t pay the bills.”
In an interview with News One, Yvonne mentioned that it is rather other businesses she does alongside acting that bring her money.
“Acting doesn’t really pay. Back then I have to do a bunch of movies before I can make some substantial money. It is the other things we do like our personal productions and signing with companies as brand ambassadors that pays. Do you think I can drive a Mercedes Benz with this chicken change fees that we get paid for acting,” she said on Tuesday.
A number of Ghanaian actors have so far died because they could not raise enough money to take care of their health problems.
According to Yvonne, it is because the industry doesn’t pay. The best solution, she indicated, is for actors to be smart and start engaging in other businesses.
“Some actors are dying because they don’t have enough to take care of their health. The money is not enough to sustain them. Do you think if we are being paid 25 million dollars for big productions as it is done in Hollywood, they would be poor? Do you know the good healthcare all these actors will get if we get paid well? It is terrible here. We don’t get royalties. Nothing,” she added.
“I don’t bank all my hopes on acting to survive but, of course, it is important we improve the industry for actors to make a living from their sweat.”
“As it stands now, you can’t survive. For instance, if you have four kids to take care of, it will be very difficult to survive.You need to do something else,” she concluded.
Yvonne Okoro is currently the TV host and producer of Dining With, a cooking reality show. The second season of the show dubbed ‘Cooks & Braggarts’ will start showing on GHone TV on Sundays at 4:00pm.
The show is sponsored by Dano Milk, Kleanz Products by Ghandour Cosmetics and Itransport.
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