In 2022, Nollywood gave us some of the most brilliant movies, showcasing an array of incredible actors and their skills to interpret their roles to the letter. Some of them are not new to our screens while some are breakout talents that wowed us and made us fall in love with them. Importantly, these actors made us confident that Nollywood is in great hands.
Closely looking at the films and series, it is easy to point to a couple of actors who stand out for their stellar performance in the roles they were cast. From ‘Blood Sisters’ to ‘Anikulapo’ and ‘Elesin Oba,’ we have seen these actors play different characters and delivered their roles.
On WN Picks this week, we look at some of the actors, and the big projects they were on this year.
Deyemi Okanlawon
The Nigerian actor has been on a roll for a while. Having worked on big projects like King of Boys: The Return of the King, Omo Ghetto: The Saga, Swallow, and Prophetess the previous year, Deyemi Okanlawon stepped into 2022 working on two major projects.
Playing Kola in ‘Blood Sisters’ was a big project for the prolific actor and he sure delivered on the role. Apart from being killed in the first episode of the limited series, he was able to leave a lasting memory of himself throughout the series making it hard to notice that he was gone.
His role as Olunde in ‘Elesin Oba’ shows how brilliant he is at interpreting his role. His composure amongst other things in the movie made the character an interesting one to watch.
Genoveva Umeh
One of the big questions on everybody’s lips after seeing ‘Blood Sisters’ is the name of the talent who played Timeyin in the limited series.
The reason for that is not very hard to guess. It was because Genoveva Umeh created a great impression that made people start asking about her. Being a breakout talent amongst many established actors, she held her own, delivering the role she played so well that she was in character and wowed everyone who saw her in the series.
She then goes further to prove herself in the latest Netflix teen series ‘Far From Home’ where she played the role of a teenager and killed it.
So far for Genoveva Umeh, this year is one of the best years in her career as she is now positioned in a great place to get more roles going forward.
Kunle Remi
Coming from a year of playing one of the lead roles in Netflix’s first Nigerian Christmas-themed movie, ‘A Naija Christmas,’ Kunle Remi moved into 2022 landing the big role of ‘Saro’ in Kunle Afolayan’s epic movie, ‘Anikulapo.’
Playing the lead role in such a big project proves Kunle Remi is an actor with the ability to carry a movie and deliver a stellar and unforgettable performance.
Following his role in ‘Anikulapo,’ Kunle Remi will also be playing the lead role in Toyin Abraham’s latest movie, ‘Ijakumo.’
Bimbo Ademoye
When we talk about actors who are talented enough to be able to fit into different roles, Bimbo Ademoye clearly fits that description. Being one of those we have seen play the city girl in some roles and the village girl in others, her ability to switch sets her apart.
From earlier roles where she played the role of an uneducated bread seller in ‘Breaded Life’ to her role in ‘Sugar Rush,’ Bimbo Ademoye is known to deliver her roles perfectly.
She further proves that in 2022 with her role in Kunle Afolayan’s epic movie, ‘Anikulapo’ where she played the role of Arolake. In her role as the barren queen, she was able to make the viewers feel her pain and side with her when she decided to exact revenge on Saro whom she had previously eloped with.
Conclusion
Looking at these actors and the immense contribution they made to the projects they were involved in 2022, it was only right to highlight them on WN Picks. However, this does not invalidate the talent of other brilliant actors who played huge roles in 2022 as well.
With the greatness we witness in the movie industry this year and all the talents, we can only imagine what 2023 has to offer.
