Speaking after his recent win for Best Male Actor in a Leading Role for the film The Fisherman which was produced by Kofi Owusu Afriyie and directed by Zoey Martinson, Adelayitar said the recognition carried deep personal meaning, not only because it marked his first major acting award in forty years, but because it came from the very first film in which Mawuko Kuadzi cast him.

“For forty years, I have given my heart to this profession,” Adelayitar said. “To receive my first award in the first film Mawuko Kuadzi ever cast me for is something I will never forget. He has given me a moment I waited a lifetime for.”

The actor explained that Mawuko Kuadzi went beyond simply assigning him a role. According to Adelayitar, the casting director challenged him relentlessly throughout the audition process, pushing him beyond familiar limits and demanding emotional honesty at every stage of performance.

“He believed in me even when the work became uncomfortable,” Adelayitar recounted. “He kept saying, ‘You can go deeper.’ That belief forced me to rediscover myself as an actor.”

Adelayitar also reflected on his earlier professional encounter with Mawuko Kuadzi during the production of Beasts of No Nation, the internationally acclaimed film that brought global attention to Ghanaian cinema. It was on that production, he recalled, that Kuadzi identified and championed the young Abraham Attah, a discovery that later earned Attah worldwide recognition and major awards.

“I watched Mawuko work with precision and courage on Beasts of No Nation,” Adelayitar said. “He has an eye for truth in performance. When someone like that chooses you, you feel a responsibility to rise to the moment.”

The actor noted that winning an award after decades of consistent work served as a reminder that timing in creative careers is often shaped by trust and collaboration. He described the experience as both affirming and humbling.

Industry colleagues have echoed Adelayitar’s sentiments, pointing to Mawuko Kuadzi’s growing reputation as a casting director who prioritizes character integrity and performance depth over convenience or familiarity. A member of the Casting Society of America and a recipient of the ARTIOS Award, MK as he is affectionately called has increasingly become associated with projects that elevate African talent onto international platforms.

For Adelayitar, the award goes beyond a personal milestone. He sees it as encouragement for actors who have labored quietly for years without formal recognition.

“This is proof that our stories are still unfolding,” he said. “Sometimes it takes one person to truly see you. For me, that person was Mawuko Kuadzi.”

For now, The Fisherman continues to draw attention within and beyond Ghana, with netizens predicting a great come back for the Ghana film industry whiles citing the collaboration between actor and casting director as being a powerful example of how belief, discipline, and shared artistic vision can reshape careers and redefine what is possible in African cinema.

The fisherman

Ricky