The 5th edition of the Africa Magic Vewer’s Choice Awards is around corner, holding on the 4th of March 2016. The prestigious AMVCA trophy acknowledges the contribution made by Pan African filmmakers , actors and technicians.
But before the 2017 winners and nominees are fully set in stone, here are the most celebrated actors who continue to bedazzle us on screen:
10. Chinyere Yvonne Okoro
Nominated
2014: Best Actress in a Comedy (Contract)
2014: Best Comedy Movie (Contract)
Won
2014: Best Movie Overall (Contract)
Yvonne Okoro made her screen debut in Sticking to the Promise and was the first Ghanaian actress to have been interviewed on BBC focus for Africa as fast rising entrepreneur. Other awards she’s been garnered with includes the Best actress at the 2010 Ghana movie awards, at the Nigerian Excellence Awards in 2011 and 2012, and for being the personality of the year awarded by His Excellency Musuliu Obanikoro. She produced the Contract with an estimated gross of N11,447,636 and the movie was released on December 28, 2012 in (Ghana) and on March 22, 2013 (in Nigeria).
9. Blossom Chukwujekwu
Nominated
2016: Best Actor in a Drama (Stolen Water)
2016: Best Supporting Actor in a Drama (Falling)
Won
2015: Best Supporting Actor in a Drama (Knocking on Heaven’s Door)
Fondly referred to as Nollywood’s newest quintessential and bankable leading man, Blossom Chukwujekwu was profiled on Jara (an Africa Magic Nollywood show) as one of the top 5 actors to watch out for in 2013. His first breakout movie was Flower Girl (2013) and was quickly followed with Finding Mercy (2013) – an anticipated block buster that was the closing film at the African International Film Festival. He’s starred in countless other productions which include Knocking on Heaven’s Door (2014), The Visit (2015), A Place Called Happy (2015), Ghana Must Go (2015), Tinsel (MNET), Shuga (MTVBase), Catwalq (by Emem Isong and Monalisa Chinda), and Nigeria’s first indigenous Telenovella: Taste of Love.
8. Osita Iheme
Nominated
2013: Best Supporting Actor in a Drama (The Mirror Boy)
2014: Best Actor in a Comedy (The Fighter)
Won
2014: Best Actor in a Comedy (The Hero)
One of Nigeria’s most famous actors, Osita Iheme, is also an author and the founder of the Inspired Movement, Africa. Its a movement set aside to inspire, motivate and stimulate the minds of young Africans. In 2007 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the African Movie Academy Awards. Later, in 2011, he was honored as a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MON) by President Goodluck Jonathan. Widely known for playing the role of ‘Pawpaw’ in the film Aki na Ukwa, he’s starred alongside actors such as Funke Akindele (Agneta O’Mpa) and Genevieve Nnaji (The Mirror Boy).
7. Nse Ikpe-Etim
Nominated
2015: Best Actress in a Comedy (I Come Lagos)
2016: Best Actress in a Drama (The Visit)
Won
2014: Best Actress in a Drama (Journey to Self)
Nse Ikpe-Etim (Fifty, Heaven’s Hell) had her first television appearance in the family soap Inheritance before coming into prominence in 2008 for her role in Emem Isong’s Reloaded. Among many other accolades, the Senior Lecturer at Middlesex University has received awards for the Best Actress at the 2015 Golden Icons Academy Awards (Stalker) and the Best actress in a Leading role at the 2015 Best of Nollywood Awards English Category (Stolen Water).
6. Genevieve Nnaji
Nominated
2013: Best Actress in a Drama (The Mirror Boy)
2016: Best Actress in a Drama (Road to Yesterday)
2016: Best Movie Overall (Road to Yesterday)
Oprah Winfrey, in 2009, referred to her as the Julia Roberts of Africa. Soon after, in 2011, she was honoured as a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MON) by the Nigerian government for her contribution to Nollywood. The multi award winning filmmaker and actress, in 2008, launched “St. Genevieve”, a clothing line which donates its proceeds to charity. She has starred in over 80 movies including TIFF’s selected Half of a Yellow Sun – a film grossing over N340,000,000 at the box office in 2014.
5. Majid Michel
Nominated
2014: Best Actor in a Drama (Somewhere in Africa)
2014: Best Actor in a Drama (House of Gold)
2016: Best Actor in a Drama (Being Mrs. Elliot)
This famous actor made his debut in Divine Love alongside Van Vicker and Jackie Appiah, a film which went on to become a huge success across Ghana. In quick succession, Majid Michel starred as the lead actor in Agony of the Christ, which saw the movie receive a staggering sven nominations at the 2009 Africa Movie Academy Awards. Later he won gold for Somewhere in Africa and also starred in Ayo Makun’s box office shaker – 30 Days in Atlanta. Other notable screen-pieces featuring this actor aren’t limited to Knocking on Heaven’s Door, The Department, and Road to Yesterday.
4. Fabian Adeoye Lojede
Nominated
2013: Best Actor in a Drama (Jacob’s Cross)
2013: Best Supporting Actor in a Drama (Man on Ground)
2013: Best Movie Overall (Man on Ground)
Won
2013: Best Movie – Drama (Man on Ground)
Fabian Lojede is a Nigerian based in South Africa and one of the characters in the popular South African television drama series on MNET – Jacob’s Cross. He plays the role of Bola Abayomi, the only acknowledged son of Chief Abayomi, an oil magnet battling for Africa’s rich offshore oil resources. In addition to his skills as an actor, he also runs a production company called 1 Take Media, which shoots TV commercials, drama, reality shows etc.
3. OC Ukeje
Nominated
2015: Best Actor in a Drama (Secret Room)
2015: Best Supporting Actor in a Drama (When Love Happens)
2016: Best Supporting Actor in a Drama (The Department)
Won
2013: Best Actor in a Drama (Two Brides and Baby)
Nigeria’s Brad Pitt and one of the Toronto International Film Festival rising stars, Okechukwu Ukeje, has repeatedly dazzled us on screen in films such as Hoodrush, Alan Poza, Half of a Yellow Sun, Ayanda, and The Arbitration. OC Ukeje first screen appearance was in White Waters (2008) directed by Izu Ojukwu and has since received several awards including Africa Movie Academy Awards, Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards, Nollywood Movies Awards, Best of Nollywood Awards, Nigeria Entertainment Awards and Golden Icons Academy Movie Awards.
2. Rita Dominic
Nominated
2015: Best Actress in a Drama (Iyore)
Won
2015: Best Actress in a Comedy (The Meeting)
2015: Best Movie – Comedy (The Meeting)
2014: New Era Award (The Meeting)
The Best Actress in a Leading Role at the 2014 Golden Icons Academy Award made her movie debut in Shoot to Kill (1998). Since then she’s starred in over 100 Nollywood productions, most notably: Iyore, The Meeting, and the more recent ’76. Along with Mildred Okwo, she founded The Audrey Silva Company (TASC) and produced The Meeting and Suru L’ere to much success.
1. Funke Akindele
Nominated
2013: Best Actress in a Drama (Maami)
2013: Best Actress in a Comedy (The Return of Jenifa)
2013: Best Movie – Comedy (The Return of Jenifa)
2014: Best Actress in a Comedy (The Fighter)
2014: Best Actress in a Comedy (The Hero)
Won
2014: Best Actress in a Comedy (The Return of Sherikoko)
2016: Best Actress in a Comedy (Jenifa’s Diary)
This Iroko TV ambassador, producer and actress came into limelight after featuring in the popular United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) sponsored sitcom: I Need to Know. In 2016 she won the Best Actress’ awards at the Naija Fm Awards, Africa Entertainment Legend Awards, Ghana Movie Awards and one nomination at the Nigeria Entertainment Awards. Without resting on her laurels or successes she went on to feature in Ayo Makun’s A Trip to Jaimaica, outselling Hollywood productions in Nigerian cinemas.
Picture credits: Opiid Fashion, Celeb Police, Pulse.ng, Bellanaija, Wikipedia, Smartconnect Online, Matooke Republic, Ourblogazine, Hotnaijanews.
