‘Things we do for love’; the TV series that created the Big Names in the Ghana Film Industry.

When it comes to a single TV series that has created big names in the Ghana Film Industry, none can be compared to ‘things we do for love’. Released in 2003, ‘things we do for love’ is written by Edward Seddor Jnr. and directed by the great Ivan Quashigah.

Plot

Things We Do for Love is about youths and their lives at school and home, with their parents getting in their way. Pusher (Adjetey Anang) is in a relationship with Dede, but has other girlfriends. He is the cause of nearly all the trouble in the neighbourhood. His friend BB seeks ideas from Pusher to attract Marcia. However, Marcia’s brother has romantic feelings for Dede. Shaker (Majid Michel) plays a Lebanese working in a hotel and a womanizer who could make a lady “melt” with his sweet words. His personality leads him into embarrassing incidents. His attempts to use those charms on Enyonam (Jackie Appiah) won’t work either as she is in love with a calm guy in the neighbourhood, although they are both unable to live in this dreamland called Love, as she lives in fear of her Father.

The TV series starred a lot of actors, but a few of them have risen to become bigger stars in the Film Industry. Notable among these few stars are Adjetey Anang (Pusher), Majid Michel (Shaker) and Jackie Appiah (Enyornam).

Adjetey Anang

Adjetey Anang played the role of ‘Pusher’ in ‘things we do for love’. Pusher is cause of nearly every trouble in the neighbourhood. He is also know for giving advice to his friends about wooing ladies as well as the ‘filla’ man.

Adjetey Anang studied at Labone Senior High School and proceeded to the University of Ghana, where he studied Fine Arts. He went further to study his masters in Dramatic Arts at Wits University in Johannesburg.

Since ‘things we do for love’, Adjetey Anang has featured in a lot of movies such as, Deadly Voyage, The Perfect Picture, Potomanto, and Keteke. He has also featured in a Dutch movie titled Slavery.

He has won himself a lot of fans from his role in Things We Do For Love. He has also won awards including An Arts Critique and Review Association of Ghana (ACRAG) Talent Award and A Ghana Union of Theatre Societies (GUTS) Best Actor Award. He was nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category in the 8th Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards for his role in Gold Coast Lounge. He won the Actor of the year at the 2022 Exclusive Men of the Year Africa Awards

He is still very relevant in the filmmaking business.

Majid Michel

Michel was born in Cantonments, a suburb of the Ghanaian capital Accra. The son of a Lebanese father and a Ghanaian mother, he grew up in Accra with his nine siblings. He attended St. Theresa’s Primary School, and later, the Mfantsipim School, the alma mater of Van Vicker.

Majid Michel played the role of ‘Shaker’ in ‘things we do for love’. He plays a Lebanese working in a hotel and a womanizer who could make a lady “melt” with his sweet words. His personality leads him into embarrassing incidents. Michel attributes being given the role due to his Lebanese heritage.

Majid Michel has also appeared in numerous films such as, Somewhere in Africa, Pool Part, The Game, Royal Madness, and Her Excellency. He received nominations for Best Actor in a Leading Role at the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2017. He eventually won the award in 2012 after three previous consecutive nominations.

Michel is one of the Ghanaian actors who got into the film industry during the period in which Frank Rajah Arase signed a contract with Ghana’s Abdul Salam Mumuni of Venus Films. The contract basically involved introducing Ghanaian actors into the mainstream Nollywood film industry and making them have a star power comparable to Nigerian actors. Films produced under this contract featured Michel include: Crime to Christ (2007), Agony of Christ (2008), Heart of Men (2009), The Game (2010) and Who Loves Me? (2010) amongst others.

Michel though not appearing frequently in movies as his fans will wish, he is still relevant in the filmmaking business. Majid is also an evangelist and a humanitarian.

Jackie Appiah

Jackie Appiah played the role of ‘Enyonam’ in ‘things we do for love’. She was invited to the series by Edward Seddor Jnr. the writer of ‘things we do for love.

After the exposure gotten from ‘things we do for love’ Jackie Appiah has appeared in several films and won multiple awards. For her work as an actress, she has received several awards and nominations, including the awards for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the 2010 Africa Movie Academy Awards; and Best Actress in a Supporting Role at the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2007. She received two nominations for Best Actress in a Leading Role and Best Upcoming Actress at the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2008.

Appiah was known to Nollywood through her many successful Ghanaian films including Beyoncé – The President Daughter, Princess Tyra, Passion of the Soul, Pretty Queen, The Prince’s Bride, The King is Mine and The Perfect Picture. Her notable Nollywood films include Black Soul and Bitter Blessing, alongside Nollywood actor Ramsey Noah and My Last Wedding, alongside Nollywood actor Emeka Ike.

In 2013, she won the Best International Actress award at the Papyrus Magazine Screen Actors Awards (PAMSAA) 2013. which was held in Abuja, Nigeria.

Jackie Appiah is still relevant in the filmmaking business as well.