Jeffrey Nortey Says He Created Dragon Character To Break Industry Stereotypes

Actor and content creator Jeffrey Nortey said he created his popular Dragon character to challenge perceptions that he could only play clean-cut and respectable roles.

Speaking on Culture Daily on 3 Music TV, Nortey said he felt he was being typecast because of his appearance and personality.

“They said, ‘Oh, this guy is clean. You don’t go play bad boy roles,’” he recalled.

According to Nortey, Dragon was initially designed to be a serious and problematic character rather than a comic one. However, he later adjusted the character to make it more family-friendly.

He explained that he wanted children to enjoy the character and did not want parents discouraging them from watching his content.

The actor said developing the character involves much more than costume changes and dialogue, revealing that he undergoes mental preparation before performing as Dragon.

Nortey noted that Dragon is portrayed as a drug addict, a personality that differs sharply from his real-life character. As a result, he spends time psyching himself up backstage before stepping into the role.

The actor also acknowledged that many fans struggle to separate him from the characters he portrays, particularly Dragon and Kpakpo.

Despite this, he said he remains in control of the characters because he writes and develops them himself. He added that he constantly monitors audience reactions and would discontinue any character that creates problems for his personal brand.