“The key has been keeping them balanced. I make sure that acting is not the end-all, be-all for them. It’s a hobby. Just like sports,” she says. “They play basketball, soccer and it’s a lot of work keeping the balance, but I find that that is the key to keeping them on an even keel. Sometimes it [can get] skewed [but] they know that school is automatic. You’re going to college — period! They know they have to meet the standards. If you’re a good student and a good reader and have good comprehension, then everything works together.”
Kwesi is thankful to have two older brothers in the same field; it helps keep the 10-year-old sharp and alleviates some of the pressures of the industry.
“It’s cool because I look up to them a lot. They’re like my mentors in the business and they help me a lot. My older brother Kwame will help me with my lines. It’s like the family business,” he says.
“It’s almost like we have a little family enterprise — Kofi will do [Kwesi’s] computer ads and MySpace stuff for him,” adds Naa. “They keep it all in fun and no inter competition or anything like that.”
Kwesi has had other mentors as well, including Perry and Romano. “When I was shooting the movie with Tyler Perry, I got to travel to Atlanta and it was really cool. He’s like a big kid! He’d let me ride his Segue and fly his virtual airplanes!”
For the Boakyes, nothing is more important than family, and as the holidays approach, that point hits even closer to home.
“[We love] celebrating all of the highs and being there for each other for some of the lows,” she says. “The best moments are always when we get that new booking. It’s an exciting time for the kids and the family. We’ve been so many different places based on what they’re doing. It’s a great ride and we’re just really enjoying everything and staying in the moment.”
–todd williams
