Here are the top 9 Nollywood actors of 2023

Actors tie together the sole purpose of any film production and over the years our Nigerian acts have proved to be some of the best in the game.

Here are the top 9 Nollywood actors whose performances defined 2023.

The Big Brother Naija alumnus hasn’t stopped thrilling the audience since his role as Andy in Sugar Rush. This year, he delivered two interesting roles that have left jaws open. The role of Obalola in Jade Osiberu’s Gangs of Lagos came as a reminder of his prowess with the “bad boy role” we first witnessed in Brotherhood (2022). Then came Edafe ‘Majemijesu’ Umukoro in Slum King, the treacherous man out to seek revenge for his family’s death. Two bad boy roles this year alone and it didn’t bore the audience at any time, with each one being an entirely different character to fall in love with. To crown it all, his performance earned him the Best Actor in a Drama (Movie/TV Series) for Brotherhood at this year’s African Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA).

A lot of times, Adedimeji’s comical and emotional roles ring a bell in people’s minds. But this year, his role as Gbotija, a young man with the powers to speak to and control trees in Femi Adebayo‘s epic Jagun Jagun can’t be forgotten in such a hurry. Before our very eyes, he evolved into an impeccable swordsman, which saw him slip into the lover boy roles we know him for. In his refreshing role as Gbotija, Adedimeji proved he can be regarded as a versatile act to look out for.

Sista by Biodun Stephen had what felt like a nationwide nostalgia effect when it made its debut in June. Bankole’s role as the titular Sista leaves a lasting effect, as she pulls off the character of an illiterate whose determination and principles endear her to the audience. From her relationship with the other characters to her ability to bring to life the illiterate mother act, Sista is a timely reminder of Bankole’s depth as a performer.

Inspired by true events, The Trade, a crime drama by Osiberu, tells the story of Dike Maduka, aka Eric, played by Chukwujekwu, a notorious genius billionaire kidnapper, who ravaged the southern part of Nigeria for several years. The multiple personality role delivered excellently by Chukwujekwu was one of the amazing highlights of the title, even earning him a nomination at AMVCA 2023 for Best Actor in a Drama (TV/Series).

Making her first 2023 appearance as Ene in Shanty Town, Nse Ikpe-Etim made an impression. The Netflix series, released in January, unveiled the rebel side of Ikpe-Etim that a lot of people had missed. Though the villain at some point in the film, she was indeed thrilling to watch, especially with the whole love/hate chemistry going on between her and Ini Edo’s character.

Her performance in Shanty Town earned her a nomination at this year’s AMVCA for Best Actress in a Drama (Movie/TV Series). When she didn’t win, fans of her work considered it one of the biggest snubs of the awards night.

The Netflix series, Shanty Town was the actor’s official return to the big screen after a five-year break from acting. The villain of the story is usually hated but not in this case. His character Scar, though dark and brutal, was one of the exciting roles that kept the story together.

From the visible scars all over his body to actions and mannerisms that never took a nosedive during the film’s runtime, it’s hard to place what scene was even an ultimate win. Stepping away from acting for that long is one thing, but returning with a very demanding and defining role like Scar proves that the long period of silence didn’t alter the veteran’s acting.

From Scar to Dafe in Merry Men: Nemesis, the question of whether Mokeme has risen again to take the ultimate bad boy crown is the bone of contention among Nollywood insiders. The actor played both the bad guy and the crusader in this feature, ensuring to leave the character’s pain on the audience as he went on.

He started the year as Chief Fernandez, the all-powerful political entity that held Shanty Town in his palm. Then came the fearsome Paul Edima in The Black Book by Editi Effiong.

On a journey to seek vengeance for his wrongly accused dead son, RMD delivered a different side to what we have ever seen from him. His bad guy character was that of an intelligent and strategic one, rather than the usual intense martial acts.

Some audience members have gone back and forth on which of Paul’s scenes did it for them. But there is no doubt that the compact acts here and there were quite interesting to see RMD pull off.

SHE Must Be Obeyed, released in September, caught the audience by surprise, with Akindele taking the energetic role of a musician. Though the character, She, is a selfish and awfully annoying one, the actress still makes it a highlight to reckon with in the story. Then came Jola in No Way Through the mother of one ready to do the unthinkable just to make sure her daughter’s life is comfortable and secure. And to round it up this year is Jedidah in A Tribe Called Judah. Akindele in these three roles proved to be a versatile act to reckon with, she went from prim and proper, to ghetto mode and it was interesting for fans to see the various switches.

A lot of times going out of the usual roles one delivers comes off as a risk that might blow up in the face, but Akindele in all three was able to deliver genuine performances.

From the man with the mysterious supernatural powers in A Young Time Ago to Timi in the recently released Breath of Life, Ojo doesn’t hold back from giving the audience spectacular performances both times. He isn’t one to grace the big screens every single time so any time something drops the audience always tries to soak off on it.

The character Timi, was dark at the very beginning but he soon becomes one to easily fall in love with, when his tiny acts of kindness creep in, before he makes the ultimate sacrifice. Ojo makes the audience feel his characters’ intensity with the remarks he wears on his face, which creates this plastering effect on one’s memory.