Adjoa Andoh offers advice to people wanting to make it in the industry
She urged people to "follow their bliss" with whatever career they want to pursue.
Adjoa Andoh has been in the business for years, whether you know her from her standout performances on the stage, or for her role as Colette Griffiths in Casualty, or for her most recent performance as Lady Danbury in Bridgerton.
A star across television and theatre, Adjoa Andoh joined the panel of ITV's Breaking Through documentary alongside Bridgerton's Ruby Barker and Coronation Street's Channique-Sterling Brown, as they discussed their personal experiences, challenges and their journey to TV success as Black women in the industry.
In between filming for the documentary, RadioTimes.com caught up with Adjoa Andoh, who offered some very important advice about working in the entertainment industry, something she has been doing for over 30 years.
She joked: "The first thing I would say is, 'Is there not something else you would rather do? This is a brutal industry. Is there anything else you really love?'"
Andoh acknowledged that there is more to the entertainment industry than just being an actor, and there are a multitude of ways people can work in the industry.
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"I would say, 'Do you want to be an actor? Do you want to tell stories? Do you want to be a camera man? Or woman? Do you want to be a lighting director? Do you want to be a gaffer? Do you want to do the electrics? Are you interested in sound?'," she said.
One phrase that particularly stood out was Andoh explaining that people must "follow their bliss". Whether it be through the careers listed above or not, the Bridgerton icon emphasised the importance of doing something "joyful".
She told RadioTimes.com: "We're on the planet for a short amount of time, and it should be all the joyful experiences we can do. Don't let anyone tell you you can't. The first person to reach the North Pole, Matthew Henson, [was a] black man.
"Pick the extraordinary people who are doing extraordinary things all over the world forever. And just because you don't know their stories, doesn't mean you don't have a right to put yourself in the places that are of interest to you."
The actor acknowledged that people will face "lots of knock backs" in the entertainment industry, but if it something they genuinely want to pursue, "hold your nerve and go for it".
Adjoa ended her advice with: "If you're going to be in any area of the industry, show up on time.
"Know your lines, know your craft. Be respectful to other people. Don't moan you know, but be clear about what needs doing and enjoy it."
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