The veteran actress passed away in the early hours of Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at the University of Ghana Medical Centre in Accra, bringing to a close a career that spanned more than five decades in theatre, radio, television and film.
Nortey’s death came on the same day the world was mourning American music icon Dolly Parton, but in Ghana the focus turned to a homegrown star whose face and voice shaped generations of storytelling.
For many Ghanaians, Nortey was the definition of strength on television. She built her reputation playing outspoken, determined women — mothers, grandmothers, community elders who spoke their minds and held families together.
Her authority on screen was matched by emotional depth. Whether in a comedy sketch or a serious drama, Nortey had a way of making ordinary characters feel unforgettable.
She became one of the most recognisable faces of Ghanaian television during its golden years, when drama series were appointment viewing in homes across the country.
She featured in Obra, the long-running drama series that tackled social issues through everyday stories. She was also a key figure in Osofo Dadzie, the iconic comedy-drama that mixed folklore, moral lessons and satire. The show, broadcast in the 1970s and 80s, helped shape the language of Ghanaian TV and remains a cultural reference point today.
Other notable credits include Nana Akoto, Escape to Love, Ties That Bind and Sinking Sands. In Sinking Sands, she played Grandma with a quiet dignity that earned praise from critics and audiences.
In 2015, Nortey reached international audiences with her role as the Old Witch Woman in Beasts of No Nation. Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga and starring Idris Elba and Abraham Attah, the film was shot in Ghana and premiered on Netflix to global acclaim. Though her role was brief, her presence added weight to the film’s Ghanaian setting.
Her later work included Lost Hope, Dza Gbele, Matters of the Heart, Sekina, Expectations and Jewels. Even in her 80s, she continued to appear on screen, mentoring younger actors and remaining a familiar face as the industry moved from television drama to film and digital platforms.
Nortey’s contribution went beyond acting. In the 1970s she hosted Nyeawokoshie, a radio programme aimed at Ga women. The show discussed family, health and community issues at a time when few media platforms spoke directly to women in local languages.
Colleagues remember her as disciplined, generous, and deeply committed to the craft. She worked at a time when actors had to build sets, memorize long scripts, and perform live, with little of the infrastructure that exists today.
“She built her reputation when theatre and television drama were the country’s most influential forms of entertainment,” a fellow actor noted. “She set the standard.”
What set Nortey apart was longevity. She acted alongside pioneers of Ghanaian theatre and later shared scenes with a new generation of filmmakers. She adapted as the industry changed — from stage to TV, from TV to film, from film to streaming.
That continuity earned her recognition. She received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Black Star International Film Festival, honoring her contribution to Ghana’s creative industry.
Off screen, Nortey was a mother of five daughters. One of them, Sheila Nortey, has also pursued acting, carrying on the family name in Ghanaian film and television.
Many recalled her performances in Osofo Dadzie and Obra as the first time they saw their own grandparents, neighbors, and market women reflected on television. Others cited Sinking Sands and Beasts of No Nation as proof that Ghanaian actors could hold their own on global stages.
“Maame Grace taught us how to act with truth,” one director wrote. “No shouting. No exaggeration. Just presence.”
Nortey’s death marks the passing of one of the last links to the formative years of Ghanaian television drama. That era, defined by character-driven stories, moral lessons, and performances in local languages, laid the foundation for today’s film industry.
She worked through military rule, economic hardship, the rise of video movies in the 1990s, and the current boom in Ghanaian cinema. Through it all, she remained consistent: professional, prepared, and purposeful.
In Beasts of No Nation, she played a woman warning of danger to come. In real life, she spent decades warning, teaching, and guiding — through roles that held a mirror to Ghanaian society.
As Ghana joins the world in mourning other icons this week, Grace Nortey’s legacy is firmly rooted at home. Five daughters, dozens of productions, and millions of viewers who saw their stories in her face.
