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Most Outstanding Nollywood Actors In 2023
We have compiled a list of the most outstanding Nollywood actors and actresses in 2023
The Nigerian film industry known as Nollywood is the second Biggest Film industry in the world which comes second to Hollywood, and it’s a global powerhouse that releases hundreds of movies annually, and 2023 is not an exception. While we have compiled a list of the top 10 best Nollywood of 2023, it is also important we give credit to the actors that made these movies possible, so we have compiled a list of the most outstanding Nollywood actors and actresses in 2023
1. Femi Adebayo
Femi Adebayo Salami is a Nigerian film director, actor, lawyer, producer, and special adviser to the Governor of Kwara State on Arts, Culture, and Tourism. His acting career began in 1985 when he featured in his father’s first movie, Ogun Ajaye. His father [Adebayo Salami] is also a veteran Actor, producer, and director.
Femi Adebayo has starred in over 500 Nigerian films and has won numerous awards such as Best Actor at the 17th African Film Awards and many more. On August 2023 Femi Adebayo released an epic Yoruba film titled Jagun Jagun [The Warrior] which was streamed on the platform [Netflix] within 48 hours of the release it began in the United Kingdom and seventeen other countries. and it earned 2,100,00 views in its first three days and 3,700,00 views by 20 August 2023 making it one of the top 10 most -watched non-English films globally.
2. Funke Akindele
Olufunke Ayotunde Akindele-Bello popularly known as Funke Akindele or Jenifa is a Nigerian filmmaker, actress, director, and producer. She came into the limelight after starring in the popular United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)-sponsored sitcom I Need to Know, which ran from 1998 to 2002, she won the African Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her role in Jenifa which brought her into fame.
Funke Akindele has been featured in numerous movies, such as Chief Daddy, Isokan, and many more, Her movie Battle on Buka Street currently holds the record of becoming the highest-grossing movie of all time in Nigeria, breaking the two-year record of her movie Omo Ghetto: The Saga. According to an online report, the movie grossed over N 640,000,00 after maintaining its number-one spot for many consecutive weeks. She is the producer and director of two highest-grossing Nollywood movies of all time, Battle on Buka Street and Omo Ghetto: The Saga which is the fourth and fifth highest-grossing film in the West Africa region.
3. Tobi Bakre
Tobi Bakre is a Nigerian actor, model, host, compere, and photographer. Tobi rose to fame after finishing up as a finalist in the Big Brother Naija reality TV show in 2018. His acting career started as a character on a Nigerian daily show ‘Hustle’ where he portrayed the average struggle of a Nigerian returnee living in the country for the first time, after which he had his major cinema break in the movie ‘Sugar Rush’ which did great in the box office.
Tobi Bakre’s other major big-screen break came when he acted as a lead in the movie ‘Gang of Lagos’, he also played the lead in the movie ‘The Blood Covenant shocked the industry with his performance in the Highest grossing movie in Nigeria in 20222’Brotherhood”.In 2023 he acted as a lead in the movie Slum King a series movie.
4. Lateef Adedimeji
Adetola Abdullateef Adedimeji is a Nigerian actor and filmmaker, who gained popularity with his first major role in Yewande Adekoya’s 2013 movie titled Kudi Klepto and has acted in over 100 Nigerian movies, He is currently a brand ambassador for Airtel and Numatville Megacity. His acting career started in 2007 with dancing and was enrolled in a dancing school.
Lateef Adedimeji is an actor and screenwriter who has featured in various stage roles since he was 15, he has starred in several Nigerian films over the years such as Sugar Rush, Depth, Ayinla, and many more. In 2016 he won Best Actor in a Lead Role [Yoruba]He also played a significant role in the movie ‘Jagun Jagun[The Warrior] a movie produced by Femi Adebayo. In 2022 he won an Award by Hollywood and African Prestigious Awards as the Best Actor in Africa.
Read More:
- 10 Best Nollywood Movies Of 2023
- Top 20 Richest Nollywood Actors and Actresses [2023/2024]
- 7 Nollywood Actresses Who Are Younger Than Their Age
5. Bimbo Ademoye
Abimbola Aisha Ademoye, popularly known as Bimbo Ademoye, is a renowned Nigerian actress, who is best known amongst her fans for her role in the 2017 Nollywood movie Backup Wife. Besides her acting prowess, Ademoye has continued to widen her fanbase through her personality and stunning looks. She rose to prominence when featured in her first actual movie, About Your Husband. She got the opportunity to feature in the project from Uduak Isong.
In 2018, Bimbo, alongside Stella Damasus, featured in ‘Gone’, directed by Daniel Ademinokan, She also featured in ‘Backup Wife’, which earned her a nomination for the Nigeria Entertainment Awards as Best Lead Role. She has also featured in some blockbuster projects and shared the big screen with top actors and actresses in Nigeria. She has added to her acting history her recent featuring in most recent movies, The Kujus, Anikulapo, Gang of Lagos, Jagun Jagun, and Big Love.
6. Odunlade Adekola
Odunlade Jonathan Adekola is a Nigerian actor, singer, filmmaker, film producer, and film director. He gained popularity for his lead role in Ishola Durojaye’s 2003 movie ‘ Asiri Gomina Wa’.He is the founder of the Odunlade Adekola Film Production[OAFp]. He began his acting career in 1996 and joined the Association of Nigeria Theatre Arts Practitioners the Same year.
Odunlade Adekola has starred in, scripted, produced, and directed several Nigerian films also known as Nollywood over the years. In April 2014 he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor of the Year. Part of the movies he has featured include Oyenusi, Mufu Olosa Oko, and sammu Alajo comedy series, and in 2023 Orisa a movie produced and directed by Odunlade Adekola gathered over 60 million streams and now he has taken the film to the USA.
7. Richard Mofe-Damijo
Richard Eyimofe Evans popularly known as RMD, is a Nigerian actor, writer, producer, lawyer, and former journalist. He was also a former Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in Delta State in 2009. In 2005, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 12th Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2016.
After he graduated from University with a Theatre Arts degree he appeared in the soap opera Ripples as a police inspector but later gained popularity as villain Segun Kadiri in the rival soap Checkmate. He has been featured in various movies such as 30 Days in Atlanta, The Wedding Party 2, The Return of King Of Boys, and many more. On September 2023 a movie titled ‘Black Book’ a Nigerian crime thriller film produced and directed by Editi Effiong, starring Richard Mofe-Damijo, Sam Dede, Shaffy Bello, and many more. His acting skills have drawn many people to most of the movies he featured and he remains one of the Best actors in the Industry.
8. Timini Egbuson
Timini Egbuson is a Nigerian actor, model, and presenter. He became notable in 2013 after he played Tobi in the television series Shuga and did very well, He started his acting career in 2010 on M-net’s soap opera Tinsel. In 2020 He won AMVCA awards as the Best Actor In a Drama for his role in Elevator Baby as one of the lead rolesTimini Egbuson has been featured in several Nigerian films such as The Kuju’s Again, Dinner at My Place, Elevator Baby, Hey You, and many more. On the 28th of June, a movie by Inkblot, the first film of the year by Inkblot was released with lead casts like Timini Egbuson who plays Adiland Bimbo Ademoye as Adina. He is not just a skilled actor but he happens to be one of the youngest actors doing well in the Industry.
9. Nancy Isime
Nancy Isime is a Nigerian actress, model, and media personality, she was born in Edo state and she obtained a diploma in social work at the University of Lagos. She began her career as an actress in the TV series Echoes in 2011, she is also a television presenter known for presenting gossip show The Squeeze technology show What’sHot and backstage segments of MTN project fame season.
In 2019 Isime launched her TV show called The Nancy Isime Shoe. She has been featured in various series of movies such as Blood Sisters, Breaded Life, She Must Be Obeyed. Shanty Town is a 2023 Nigerian crime thriller created by Xavier Ighorodje and Chichi Nworah and produced by Chinenye Nworah, featuring Nancy playing the lead role in the movie which got the attention of viewers to watch the movie.