Ghanaian award-winning actor Van Vicker has apologized to veteran filmmaker and actor Bob Smith for saying he refused to pay him for taking up a role in his film.
In October, Van Vicker appeared on a popular Ghanaian show alongside industry folks, Majid Michel, Yvonne Nelson, Nadia Buari, Jackie Appiah, and John Dumelo, to discuss the current state of Ghana’s film industry.
During his submission, Van Vicker claimed he is under threats after some Ghanaian film producers refused to pay him. He mentioned that Bob Smith, who produced the popular classic horror ‘Diabolo’, owes him money for starring in his film.
“I think the first work I didn’t get paid for the movie by Bob Smith ‘Diaboloman’. He didn’t give me anything, he just said that God bless me. He didn’t give me anything. I learnt the French on set everything right there and, after that he said God bless you and, I also said God bless you too”
However, he has made a retraction after receiving a phone call from Bob Smith. He took to his Instagram page to renounce his statement but his retraction came with some sort of pettiness.
He admitted that he was paid but what he received was a ‘transport fare’.
He said there was ‘no defamation intended’ in the statement he made on the show and that he was only verbalizing what he could recall as at that time.
Van Vicker cleared the air on the payment aspect, saying
“He didn’t pay me for my act with ‘God bless you’ but did give me ‘something small’ for my transport”, adding that “I hope this sets the record straight”.
He uploaded a new photo with the caption:
“Weeks ago I was on #unitedshowbiz via @utvghananews_ and I said Bob Smith (Diaboloman) did not pay me for my 1st act ever. I retract that statement. Uncle Bob called me on the phone after he heard the story to help me recall what actually may have happened since it was about 21/22 years ago. No defamation intended, I was only verbalizing what I could recall as at the time. So yeah, he didn’t pay me for my act with ‘God bless you’ but did give me ‘something small’ for my transport, lol. I hope this sets the record straight. Uncle Bob, I bet I am back in your good books. #Godbless.”
That notwithstanding, a lot of actors and actresses in the Ghanaian movie industry have complained about how the industry does not pay them enough. The likes of Kofi Adjorlolo, Gloria Sarfo, and Yvonne Okoro are just but to mention a few who have complained about how the industry does not pay.
In an interview earlier this year, Veteran actor Kofi Adjorlolo revealed that many movie producers in Ghana do not pay actors for their work.
According to him, many actors are still in the business because of the passion they have for it. He said
“All actors in Ghana know what I am talking about, producers don’t pay,”
He alleged that seven producers so far are owing him lots of money for works he has done for them.
According to him, up and coming actors are the most frustrated people in the industry as they are at the receiving end of not being paid by producers.
Mr. Adjorlolo explained that although he cannot attribute the fall of the movie industry solely to some of these issues, he tasked stakeholders to find a solution to the problem.
