Throughout Jamaica’s rich history in the performing arts, only a handful of thespians have defied all obstacles to become household names engraved in the minds of Jamaicans of all ages. It is among this cohort that Ronald Goshop stands proudly. Whether you knew him as Fudge from The Mighty Quinn or Mackie from Royal Palm Estate , Goshop was an actor known for his dedication and passion for playing authentically Jamaican roles.
The noted thespian died on Wednesday after he was reportedly found unresponsive in his home. In the eyes of his peers, Goshop’s innate ability to take any character and make it his own, forms part of the direct reason he was so loved and adored by audiences worldwide. “On the occasions I have worked with Ronald, both as an actor and a playwright, I found he had this ability to search for the authenticity of a character.
..to find the real, real [Jamaicaness] of a character,” said veteran playwright and producer Basil Dawkins.
“For Ronald, that authenticity came out in this kind of trickster or one-up-ster that Jamaicans are known for. [In] the characters he played, he was able to infuse this almost badman quality that Jamaicans really love. And this led to him being loved by a wide range of audiences,” Dawkins continued.
A similar sentiment was shared by another one of Goshop’s long-time directors, Lennie Little-White, who directed and produced the popular Jamaican TV drama Royal Palm Estate . According to Little-White, Goshop was a “vers.