Famously known as Lawyer Nti, born Richmond Xavier Amoakoh, has stated that he discovered his passion for acting during his Senior High School (SHS) years.
He gained popularity through a character in the well-known TV series Kejetia vs Makola, which is in the form of comedy but depicts Ghana’s legal and judicial system.
He said:
“The first time I saw my colleagues act on stage was when I was in senior secondary school. The feeling I got, I just knew this is for me”.
Lawyer Nti
He further noted that he went to see his assistant headmaster and informed him that he believed in acting and he thought that was what he should pursue and be focusing on even though he was a very good Business student at the time.
According to him, the assistant headmaster gave him options to choose from since he wanted to pursue acting. The options given were to choose between the University of Media, Arts, and Communication (UniMAC), the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI), and the University of Ghana’s (UG) School of Performing Arts.
Lawyer Nti expressed that he chose the University of Ghana’s (UG) School of Performing Arts over the others because he was unfamiliar with them and also due to the controversies that will take place at home since he changed his course of study.
Although he achieved excellent results on writing the November-December (NOV-DEC) remedial examination when he reached form three in the SHS, he chose not to pursue his university education immediately.
He noted that his acting skills were raw, unlike his mates who had the experience. Lawyer Nti said:
“My first [real] acting was in the School of Performing Arts”.
Lawyer Nti
During the interview, he said that he thinks it is God who gave him the talent to act. Also, his mom has some talent that is mimicking people, so he believes he inherited it from his mom.
Lawyer Nti finds stardom ‘strangling’
Screen star Lawyer Nti noted he once found stardom “strangling” even though it was something he had pined and prayed for.
Appearing on a show, he was asked what he disliked about the limelight, and he answered:
“If you had asked me this a few years ago, I would have said a few things. However, today, I don’t think I can say anything”.
Lawyer Nti
He further remarked:
“The things I probably don’t like about this [being popular], in a way, help me to be a better person.
“This is how it is. I am doing my work, hoping that people get to see it and appreciate me for it. I’m getting that and then now I feel, you [members of the public] are in my business too much”.
Lawyer Nti
The University of Ghana, Legon, School of Performing Arts graduate expressed his gladness for the fact that when people see him and his craft, irrespective of their circumstances, whether “broke or brokenhearted”, they laugh and are made happy.
The scariest part of stardom, Lawyer Nti also said is:
“People expect you to live in a certain kind of way. It is worse when you know that it is not within your means”.
Lawyer Nti
He noted that some people found his on-screen and off-screen personality opposite.
He explained:
“I can’t just turn my life upside down to please everyone because you want me to live a certain kind of way, you want me to be a certain kind of person…
“…You want me to see you and go crazy, you know, fool around. So people see me and they are like: ‘Ah, on TV you’re like this but [in person] you’re quiet”.
Lawyer Nti
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