Genevieve Nnaji is a Nigerian actress, producer, and director. She won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 2005, making her the first actor to win the award. In 2011, she was honoured as a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic by the Nigerian government for her contributions to Nollywood. Her directorial debut movie, Lionheart, is the first Netflix film from Nigeria and the first Nigerian submission for the Oscars. The movie was disqualified for having most of its dialogue in English. After having spent decades in the movie industry, she was profiled alongside some celebrities and business executives in 2020 in two new books by publisher and Editor in Chief of Yes International! magazine, Azuh Arinze.
Oliver O. Mbamara is a Nigerian filmmaker, actor, writer, poet, and lawyer.
Jackie Appiah is a Canadian-born Ghanaian actress. For her work as an actress, she has received several awards and nominations, including the awards for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the 2010 Africa Movie Academy Awards; and Best Actress in a Supporting Role at the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2007. She received two nominations for Best Actress in a Leading Role and Best Upcoming Actress at the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2008. Glitz Africa Honors Her with Excellence in Creative Art Award at Ghana Women of the Year Honors 2023. She is a movie producer, fashion model and a humanitarian.
Stephanie Okereke Linus is a Nigerian actress, film director and model. She has received several awards and nominations for her work as an actress, including the 2003 Reel Award for Best Actress, the 2006 Afro Hollywood Award for Best Actress, and three nominations for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2005, 2009 and 2010. She was also the runner up for the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria beauty pageant of 2002. In 2011, she was honoured by the Nigerian government with a national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic, MFR.
Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs,, known professionally as Olu Jacobs, is a veteran Nigerian actor and film executive. He began his career starring in several British television series and international films. Vanguard described him as one of the "godfathers of Nollywood", along with Pete Edochie. Trained at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, England, Olu Jacobs worked with various repertoire theatres in Britain and starred in some international movies.
Paparazzi: Eye in the Dark is a 2011 romantic mystery film directed by Bayo Akinfemi and starring Van Vicker, Koby Maxwell, Tchidi Chikere, Syr Law, JJ Bunny and Chet Anekwe. The film depicts the adventures of an aspiring photographer whose accidental picture exposes an infamous murder mystery. The film was initially slated for a direct-to-video release but as of February, 2011 was scheduled for a multiple-city limited theatrical release. Made for a low six-figure budget and filmed over the course of 19 days, the film has been known in the Nollywood USA market as the film that has changed the look and sound of Nollywood by introducing a more western approach to production quality. Notably the filmmakers employed the experience of an American filmmaker to serve as cinematographer and editor.
Anchor Baby is a Nigerian thriller drama film written, directed and produced by Lonzo Nzekwe and starring Omoni Oboli, Sam Sarpong and Terri Oliver. At the 2010 Harlem International Film Festival in New York, the film won the award for Best Film and Omoni Oboli, the protagonist of the film, was awarded the Best Actress award. The film received two nominations at the 7th Africa Movie Academy Awards.
Black Magic Tim is an American filmmaker working mostly with music videos, EPK's, commercials and independent feature films. He has directed, filmed and edited productions for clients such as Blackground Records, Tommy Boy Entertainment and TVT Records. As well as, EPK's for national artists and book authors like " Naughty by Nature "," Tank ", "Kimberly Scott (singer)" and Motivational Speaker "Valorie Burton". He has received several awards and film festival nominations for his work on the short Sci-Fi film "Apple Crumb Panic".
Chet Anekwe is an actor and filmmaker who was born in Nigeria and raised in New York City. His work spans Hollywood, Nollywood and the New York Theater.
Koby Maxwell, is a Ghanaian musician, singer, actor and producer who currently resides in Washington, D.C. in the United States. He says that his goal is to maintain the authenticity of African music, while incorporating the sounds of others. In June 2010, he became a film producer and executive producer when he hired a US film production company to produce his first Nollywood feature film, entitled Paparazzi Eye in the Dark.
Lydia Forson is a Ghanaian actress, writer, and producer. In 2010 she won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.
Susan Peters is a multiple award-winning Nigerian actress with over 50 credits in Nollywood (Nigerian) films. She is a star on Nigerian TV, a successful model, interior designer and beauty salon owner. Recently, she won the 2011 Afro Hollywood Best Actress (English) Award for her role in Bursting Out, NAFCAArchived 2014-06-16 at the Wayback Machine Awards North Carolina Nigerian Oscars: Best Actress in Supporting Role 2011 the BON Best Supporting Actress Award 2011, and the Actress of the Year 2010 and Most Stylish Actress 2012 Awards from City People MagazineArchived 2020-07-29 at the Wayback Machine. In 2011, she made the December cover of the creatively acclaimed, arts and culture magazine, ZenArchived 2012-01-05 at the Wayback Machine.
Susan Nwokedi is a Nigerian-American filmmaker, writer, producer, actor, educator, and businessman. Nwokedi wrote and produced Mind of the Enemy, which received an award nomination for Best Original Soundtrack at the Nollywood & African Film Critics' Awards in 2013.
Inale is a 2010 Nigerian musical drama film produced by Keke Bongos and directed by Jeta Amata. The film which stars Caroline Chikezie and Hakeem Kae-Kazim in lead roles, is set in Otukpo and tells the tale of Inale and Ode, who are both in love with each other but their love is threatened by tradition as Ode must win a customary wrestling tournament before he can take Inale's hand in marriage.
Busted Life is a 2014 drama about two African immigrants, Femi and Uzor, whose friendship is tested while living in the United States. The film is based on a true story by the producer Austin Chima and depicts a tale of a drug cartel. The film's principal photography began in early 2010 but as of 2014 has completed post production. Black Magic Tim served as cinematographer and has been involved with the success of several other Nollywood USA films. The film is making its festival and limited theatrical releases across the globe.
Nollywood, a portmanteau of Nigeria and Hollywood, is a sobriquet that originally referred to the Nigerian film industry. The origin of the term goes back to the early 2000s, traced to an article in The New York Times. Due to the history of evolving meanings and contexts, there is no clear or agreed-upon definition for the term, which has made it a subject of several controversies.
Shan George is a Nigerian Nollywood actress. Prior to debuting in the movie Thorns of Rose, she had previously featured in a 1997 soap opera titled Winds of Destiny. She is best known for her role in the movies Outkast and Welcome to Nollywood.
Eniola Badmus is a Nigerian professional film actress, script writer, entertainer and a social media influencer.
Emem Isong is a Nigerian screenwriter, film producer, and film director. She has become known primarily for films in the English language, and is a dominant figure in the Nollywood industry. Her second directed feature, Code of Silence, which deals with rape in Nigeria, was released in 2015.
Wendy Hancil Bangura is a Sierra Leonean actress, film producer, author and entrepreneur.
