You admire them. You watch their movies, and listen to their songs and follow them on social media platforms. But did you ever know they are, either full or half, Ghanaians? Well, read the details below.
1. Peter Mensah – Actor
Born at Chiraa, a town in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana, Mensah moved to England with his father (an engineer), his mother (a writer) and two younger sisters, at a young age.
The celebrated actor moved to Canada 11 years ago. He is famed for his roles in ‘Tears of the Sun,’ ‘Hidalgo’, ‘300,’ and ‘Dead Space,’ and more recently the Spartacus series.
2. Forest Whitaker – Actor
Forest is noted for his movies including ‘Bird,’ ‘Platoon,’ ‘Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai’ and ‘Lee Daniels' The Butler.'
He was born on July 15, 1961. He couples as an actor, director, and producer and famed for earning a reputation for intensive character study work for films such
In 2009 the actor revealed to Oprah that he had traced his roots to Ghana and Nigeria.
3. Robert Bathurst – Actor
Robert Guy Bathurst is a renowned English actor. He was born in the Gold Coast (now Ghana) in 1957.
Robert’s father worked as a management consultant in the Gold Coast. At the age of 18, he read law at the University of Cambridge and joined the Cambridge Footlights group. After graduating, he took up acting full-time.
4. Idris Elba – Actor
Idris Elba, an award-winning British actor, is known for roles in screen projects like 'The Wire,' 'Luther,' 'Thor' and 'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.'
Recently, Idris got movie lovers asking for more with his movie “Beast of no Nation.”
He is half Ghanaian, half Sierra Leonean.
5. Kofi Kingston – Wrestle
Kofi Nahaje Sarkodie-Mensah, popularly known for his ring name Kofi Kingston, is a Ghanaian-American professional wrestler.
The 1981 born is signed to WWE.
Kofi is a member of The New Day (a professional wrestling stable performing in the WWE) along with teammates Big E and Xavier Woods.
6. Christopher James “Chris” Williams – Actor
A graduate of Georgetown University. Williams has made appearances on numerous television shows including CSI and JAG.
Ghanaian by ancestry, Williams has guest-starred on ‘Monk’ in the episode "Mr. Monk and the Really, Really Dead Guy".
On February 3, 2010, Williams made an appearance on his older sister Vanessa L. Williams's series Ugly Betty playing Wilhelldiva Hater.
7. Vic Mensa – Rapper
Born Victor Kwesi Mensah, the rapper goes by the stage name Vic Mensa.
Half Ghanaian he is, Mensa is a hip hop recording artist from Chicago.. He is currently signed to Roc Nation
Mensa released his first major mixtape INNANETAPE, in 2013. He is the founder of the hip-hop collective SAVEMONEY.
His debut single "Down On My Luck" was released in June 2014
8 Vanessa L. Williams – Actress
A DNA test is said to have revealed that Vanessa’s ancestry is 23% from Ghana. Born on March 18, 1963, the actress and singer is well known for her role as Teri Joseph in the 1997 feature film ‘Soul Food.’
Vanessa, as well, is known for playing the television characters Wilhelmina Slater in ‘Ugly Betty’ and Renee Perry in ‘Desperate Housewives,
9. Freema Agyeman – Actress
Agyeman was born in London to mother, Azar, an Iranian, and father, Osei, a Ghanaian.
In the BBC science fiction series Doctor Who, the British actress played Martha Jones.
10. Michael Cowan – Film Producer
Cowan, a British film producer’s career span two decades.
His films have covered many themes and genres, such as science-fiction and adventure films. He was born in Ghana, to a Ghanain father and an Italian mother.
11. Vincent Dery (Nico and Vinz) – Singer
The singing and songwriting duo, Nico & Vinz, are an African-Norwegian group.
Kahouly Nicolay "Nico" Sereba from Holmlia, Oslo and Vincent "Vinz" Dery from Lambertseter, Oslo.
1. Peter Mensah – Actor
 |
| Peter Mensah |
Born at Chiraa, a town in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana, Mensah moved to England with his father (an engineer), his mother (a writer) and two younger sisters, at a young age.
The celebrated actor moved to Canada 11 years ago. He is famed for his roles in ‘Tears of the Sun,’ ‘Hidalgo’, ‘300,’ and ‘Dead Space,’ and more recently the Spartacus series.
2. Forest Whitaker – Actor
 |
| Forest Whitaker |
Forest is noted for his movies including ‘Bird,’ ‘Platoon,’ ‘Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai’ and ‘Lee Daniels' The Butler.'
He was born on July 15, 1961. He couples as an actor, director, and producer and famed for earning a reputation for intensive character study work for films such
In 2009 the actor revealed to Oprah that he had traced his roots to Ghana and Nigeria.
3. Robert Bathurst – Actor
 |
| Robert Guy Bathurst |
Robert Guy Bathurst is a renowned English actor. He was born in the Gold Coast (now Ghana) in 1957.
Robert’s father worked as a management consultant in the Gold Coast. At the age of 18, he read law at the University of Cambridge and joined the Cambridge Footlights group. After graduating, he took up acting full-time.
4. Idris Elba – Actor
 |
| Idris Elba |
Idris Elba, an award-winning British actor, is known for roles in screen projects like 'The Wire,' 'Luther,' 'Thor' and 'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.'
Recently, Idris got movie lovers asking for more with his movie “Beast of no Nation.”
He is half Ghanaian, half Sierra Leonean.
5. Kofi Kingston – Wrestle
 |
| Kofi Nahaje Sarkodie-Mensah |
Kofi Nahaje Sarkodie-Mensah, popularly known for his ring name Kofi Kingston, is a Ghanaian-American professional wrestler.
The 1981 born is signed to WWE.
Kofi is a member of The New Day (a professional wrestling stable performing in the WWE) along with teammates Big E and Xavier Woods.
6. Christopher James “Chris” Williams – Actor
| Christopher James “Chris” Williams |
A graduate of Georgetown University. Williams has made appearances on numerous television shows including CSI and JAG.
Ghanaian by ancestry, Williams has guest-starred on ‘Monk’ in the episode "Mr. Monk and the Really, Really Dead Guy".
On February 3, 2010, Williams made an appearance on his older sister Vanessa L. Williams's series Ugly Betty playing Wilhelldiva Hater.
7. Vic Mensa – Rapper
 |
| Victor Kwesi Mensah |
Born Victor Kwesi Mensah, the rapper goes by the stage name Vic Mensa.
Half Ghanaian he is, Mensa is a hip hop recording artist from Chicago.. He is currently signed to Roc Nation
Mensa released his first major mixtape INNANETAPE, in 2013. He is the founder of the hip-hop collective SAVEMONEY.
His debut single "Down On My Luck" was released in June 2014
8 Vanessa L. Williams – Actress
| Vanessa L. Williams |
A DNA test is said to have revealed that Vanessa’s ancestry is 23% from Ghana. Born on March 18, 1963, the actress and singer is well known for her role as Teri Joseph in the 1997 feature film ‘Soul Food.’
Vanessa, as well, is known for playing the television characters Wilhelmina Slater in ‘Ugly Betty’ and Renee Perry in ‘Desperate Housewives,
9. Freema Agyeman – Actress
| Freema Agyeman |
Agyeman was born in London to mother, Azar, an Iranian, and father, Osei, a Ghanaian.
In the BBC science fiction series Doctor Who, the British actress played Martha Jones.
10. Michael Cowan – Film Producer
 |
| Michael Lionello Cowan |
Cowan, a British film producer’s career span two decades.
His films have covered many themes and genres, such as science-fiction and adventure films. He was born in Ghana, to a Ghanain father and an Italian mother.
11. Vincent Dery (Nico and Vinz) – Singer
| Vincent Dery |
Kahouly Nicolay "Nico" Sereba from Holmlia, Oslo and Vincent "Vinz" Dery from Lambertseter, Oslo.
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