“As long as I’m not into men, that leaves me with only one option, which is the ladies!
“My mum is my first wife, I get my compassionate side from her, I love and respect women; thanks to her!” said Chris Attoh with a captivating smile, as he shared his success story with B&FT Lifestyle.
The multi- talented TV personality has steadily risen into stardom to become one of the finest promising actors Africa can boost of. Chris describes himself as a young entrepreneur, whose key objective is to continually strive to put Ghana’s name on the entertainment map worldwide.
Aside hosting TV productions: ‘Stars of the Future’ and ‘Rhythms’, Chris is currently starring in Mnet’s production, Tinsel, which is the first multi camera soap to be done in West Africa, specifically Nigeria. He plays the role of a paralyzed man confined to a wheel chair, which he describes as very challenging and different from the many other roles he had played.
Although entertainment has been part of his life right through childhood where he used to act in school plays, what he had really wanted to do is direct feature films. “Acting was not on my agenda,” he intimated.
Thanks to Shirley Frimpong Manso, a film maker and director, he will be living that dream soon, co -directing her next movie. He says his acting career begun when his icon, Kwaku Sintim-Misa (KSM) starred him and Shirley Frimpong-Manso in a TV series called ‘Choices’.
However, the production could not come out, because the sponsors pulled out after filming about sixteen episodes. Having seen the potential in him, KSM invited him again with Shirley to play a role of a husband and wife in ‘divorce court’, another TV series. “We kissed live on TV, to the surprise of everyone” he recalls. After that stint in acting, he got lots of encouragement which made him to take acting more seriously.
He, however, never accepted any scripts due to the low quality movies being produced then, until ’Life and Living It’, which was his first Ghanaian feature movie, came along.
Chris and Jackie on a set
He intimated that he accepted to act in that production because he shares the same ideals with Shirley Frimpong Manso, who directed it.
‘Scorned’, the second production, he starred in was another instant hit but can not be compared with the current hit ‘The Perfect Picture’ which broke box office records in Ghana, is making big waves in theatres across Africa.
Chris thinks that Ghana’s movie industry is on the verge of a new awakening. “Movies like the ‘Perfect Picture’ and ‘Run Baby Run’ are beginning to challenge movie makers and I think Ghanaians should look forward to more improved productions”.
Asked how he manages his fame, Chris said he is naturally social and jovial. He likens the life of a celebrity to a politician saying, it’s a full time job that calls for being there for the people because they make you. “My fans give me a sense of purpose and without them, there will be no one to share my creativity with”.
He is forever grateful to his father who played a major role in moulding his character, and unearthed his talent. Little wonder, he describes him as his role model.
Asked if the movie industry is a lucrative one in Africa, Chris said, “It’s about how you sell yourself, and making the money you make work for you!” “There are times I feel I work too hard for the kind of money I make but I love to do it because I’m passionate about it,” he further intimated.
Chris who just turned thirty, was born and bred in Accra. He attended Achimota School and Accra Academy for his O’level and A’level education and then to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology where he graduated with a Bachelor of Art degree.
