Veteran Ghanaian actress Grace Nortey, one of the pioneers of Ghana’s theatre, television and film industry, has died at the age of 89.
Nortey died on Wednesday, 26 August 2026, after a career spanning more than five decades in Ghana’s creative industry.
Born on 1 February 1937, Nortey became one of Ghana’s most recognisable actresses, particularly for her portrayal of strong-willed and fearless female characters.
Her performances earned her the popular nickname “Maame Gyata”, meaning Lion Woman or Lion Lady.
Nortey was particularly active from the 1980s through the turn of the millennium, appearing in productions including Obra, Osofo Dadzie, Key Soap Concert Party, Cantata, Taxi Driver and Thursday Theatre.
Her major screen debut came in the 1986 comic film Juju, produced by King Ampaw and Peter Wohlgemuth-Reinery, where she played the wife of veteran actor Joe Eyison.
She subsequently featured in several notable Ghanaian and international productions, including Nana Akoto, The Other Side of the Rich, Escape to Love, Matters of the Heart, Expectations, Jewels, The Ties That Bind, Sinking Sands and Beasts of No Nation.
Nortey became particularly known for playing dominant, firm and outspoken characters, often engaging male characters in lengthy and passionate confrontations that sometimes carried elements of humour.
Beyond acting, Nortey worked as a Senior Administrative Assistant with the Ghana Education Service.
She also became an advocate for the welfare of veteran actors, speaking publicly about the challenges faced by ageing and unemployed performers, including loneliness, poverty and the absence of adequate retirement support.
Nortey was married to Daniel Nortey, who died years before her. The couple had five children, including actress Sheila Nortey. Enditem
