Veteran Ghanaian actress and producer, Irene Opare, has opened up about how her acting career began, revealing that she has been involved in the craft for an impressive 45 years.
Speaking in an interview on TV3’s Showbiz 360, the celebrated actress reflected on the early stages of her journey into the film and theatre industry. According to her, her interest in acting started long before she appeared on screen, dating back to her school days.
Irene Opare explained that she first explored acting while she was a student at Holy Trinity Cathedral Senior High School (HOTCASS). From there, she continued performing in church and later got the opportunity to be part of a theatre group connected to the Old Parliament House.
“I have been acting for 45 years. I started from school, then church, and later the Old Parliament House,” she said.
The actress, who will be turning 60 in September, recounted that her entry into the theatre group came through her elder brother, William Opare, who was already involved in acting and had appeared in several productions.
“So one day I was home and my big brother came and was like, ‘Charlie, I’m now working with the Old Parliament House. They are looking for actors, why don’t you join us?’ I was like, really? But I’m just a small girl. Eventually I joined them and we were part of the ICE Department of the Parliament House,” she narrated.
According to her, during the administration of former Ghanaian president Jerry John Rawlings, the theatre group often performed ahead of the president’s visits to various places. Their role was to stage drama performances and theatrical displays before Rawlings addressed the public.
Read Also: My Colleague Celebrities Are Not Supporting My ‘Clean Mama’ Project- Irene Opare
The screen goddess noted that the experience gave her a solid foundation in performance and helped shape her confidence as an actress. After years on the theatre stage, she transitioned to television through the once-popular program Sunday Theatre, which eventually opened doors for her to feature in movies.
Over the years, Irene Opare has built an impressive filmography, starring in several productions including The Mask, Robbing Peter, and Ataara, among many others.
