Akosua Busia Biography: Age, Ex-Husband, Movies, Net Worth, Career, Heritage, Wiki, TV Shows, Songs

Akosua Gyamama Busia, also known as Akosua Busia, is a celebrated Ghanaian actress, film director, writer, author, and songwriter.

Born into Ghanaian royalty as the daughter of former Prime Minister Kofi Abrefa Busia, she gained international fame for her role as Nettie Harris in Steven Spielberg‘s The Color Purple (1985).

She has contributed to Hollywood films, Broadway, screenwriting (including adapting Beloved), and literature with her novel The Seasons of Beento Blackbird, while inspiring many through her multifaceted creative career and royal heritage.

Quick Facts

• Full Name: Akosua Gyamama Busia
• Stage Name: Akosua Busia
• Born: December 30, 1966
• Age: 59 years old
• Birthplace: Accra, Ghana
• Nationality: Ghanaian
• Ethnicity: Ghanaian (Ashanti)
• Occupation: Actress, Film Director, Writer, Author, Songwriter
• Height: Unknown
• Religion: Christianity
• Parents: Kofi Abrefa Busia and Naa Morkor Busia
• Siblings: Abena Busia
• Spouse: John Singleton (m. 1996; div. 1997)
• Children: Hadar Busia-Singleton
• Relationship: Divorced
• Net Worth: $5 million USD

Early Life And Education

Akosua Gyamama Busia was born on December 30, 1966, in Accra, Ghana, to Kofi Abrefa Busia, a former Prime Minister of Ghana, and Naa Morkor Busia. She is the youngest daughter in the family and grew up alongside her sister Abena Busia as part of the Yefri Royal House of Wenchi.

Raised in a prominent political and royal household, she developed an early interest in the arts. She began acting at age 16 and attended the Central School of Speech and Drama in London on a scholarship, graduating early and laying the foundation for her international career in film and writing.

Career

Akosua Busia started her acting career in the late 1970s and rose to prominence with her powerful performance as Nettie in The Color Purple (1985), earning widespread acclaim. She has appeared in films such as Tears of the Sun (2003), Low and others, while expanding into directing, screenwriting, and authorship.

She adapted Toni Morrison‘s Beloved for the screen and wrote the novel The Seasons of Beento Blackbird. She has also worked as a songwriter, collaborating with artists including Stevie Wonder, and performed on Broadway in Eclipsed. Living primarily in the UK, she continues to create across acting, literature, and music, blending her Ghanaian royal roots with global storytelling. Her versatile contributions have made her a respected figure in both Hollywood and African creative circles.

Social Media

• Instagram Handle: @akosuabusia

Personal Life

Akosua Busia was married to American film director John Singleton from 1996 to 1997. The couple shares one daughter, Hadar Busia-Singleton, born in 1997. Following their divorce, she has maintained a private personal life focused on family and her creative pursuits.

She often shares moments reflecting on motherhood and her journey. She remains grounded in her Ghanaian heritage and faith while balancing her artistic career. She is 59 years old. Her height is Unknown.

Net Worth

Akosua Busia‘s net worth is estimated at $5 million USD. Her income primarily comes from acting roles in major films, screenwriting and adaptation projects, book sales as an author, songwriting collaborations, directing work, and royalties from her extensive contributions to film, theater, and literature.