ust few days after enumerating his top 5 Nollywood actresses in 2014, Charles Novia is here with his top 5 Nollywood actors of 2014.
The movie director cum critic who is known for always having a say
about on-going issues in the Nigerian entertainment industry and more,
Charles’ choice of top Nollywood actors, just like his top Nollywood
actress, will shock you. This is because it does not cut across what an
average Nigerian films lover ought to expect.
Here are the movie director’s most-choiced actors of 2014 which he published on his blog and reasons why he picked them…enjoy! .
For the crowd which believes that an actor’s popularity and fan base automatically means that such an actor must be on lists such as this, I say to you; get your heads out of your closets. On this platform, all levels of professionalism are used as universal templates. I do not give a damn about the number of years an actor or actress has spent in the industry when I draw up such lists. I am more concerned with areas of the actors body of work for the year and how impressive such was when placed under an artistic microscope.
Using criteria such as interpretation, characterization, internalization, enunciation, and actor’s visualization among others, the following actors are my top 5 for 2014.
5. AYO MAKUN (AY)
Sometimes we have an impression that stand-up comedians are just a
stereotypical bunch and do not really act outside the ambits of their
profession. But it takes a lot of self-training coupled with an inherent
acting talent for a stand-up comedian to mimic different characters on
stage whilst on his routine. Transiting to the Big Screen and exploring
all the elements of acting in such a move calls for some balls on the
part of such a stand-up act. And AY proves that he has balls.
That energy though might have been overdone in areas where he
played to the gallery but such were quickly overshadowed by the
brilliantly-plotted script in which Akpos shows us how a ‘Waffi’
neophyte epitomizes the average Nigerian who travels for the first time
out of his country. In ’30 Days in Atlanta’, AY didn’t have to act
funny. He was funny. Having seen him act in the tepid ‘AY’s Crib’, his
sitcom on television where all he seems to do is to deliberately or
curiously bulge his eyes when rendering his lines, I was wary of what to
expect in his movie. But he was well-researched for the role and had a
great supporting cast which helped his delivery. AY deserves the
accolades he has been getting over that movie. Most of all, he deserves
to be on my list this year.
4. TOPE TEDELA
A Mile From Home‘ is Tope’s breakout movie.
Having won a few laurels on account of the movie for ‘Best Actor’, I was
curious to watch the movie earlier on in the year and when I did, I was
not disappointed by his characterization in the movie. He played a
character which requires the utmost physical interpretation for the
role as well as layers of emotional demands and intrinsic
internalization. Where the dictates of the character needed him to
deliver, Tope Tedela did. However, a trained eye could see that the
young man still has a lot of work to do in some areas of his acting
skills which a short course in an acting school would enhance if he so
desires but that trained eye would also recognize that there’s a zeal
within his talent which can be nurtured for the future. It is
heartwarming to see the new generation of actors coming all out to prove
that talent is king, beyond good looks.
For Tope Tedela, his talent may well take him places.
3. LUCKY EJIM
Lucky Ejim’s name might not ring much of a bell to many but his art clanged more than a Church Bell for me in 2014. The movie ‘Render to Ceaser’
in which Lucky plays a psychotic villain had a run at the cinemas
earlier in 2014 and Lucky stood out for me as the man of the movie. He
was superb in his characterization and his articulation was brilliant
too. Now, there is a difference between playing a villain and making the
viewers accept that an actor is one. In this movie, Lucky blurred the
lines and all through the movie, he was as good as they come in acting.
After his commendable outing in the 2009 movie, ‘The Tenant’, we had to
wait for years for the Canada-based actor to return to the Big Screen
over here. And he didn’t fail.
2. MIKE OMOREGBE
His name on this list would shock a lot of people who may not
even know who he is. But he is an ACTOR and his artistry deserves my
commendation. If anyone has watched ‘INVASION 1897‘ by
Lancelot Imasuen, you would agree with me that Mike Omoregbe, who played
the role of ‘Oba Ovoramwen’ was as brilliantly regal in the role as he
was visually a sizzle in his interpretation. His carriage and
internalization for that role was quite an aesthetic delight and he did
stir a lot of African cultural enthusiasts with his various levels of
interpretation for that role. For a first timer on the big screen, I
must doff my heart to this new entrant on the block. Actors such as this
should not escape Nollywood’s radar in the present future.
1. SADIQ DABA
Sadiq Daba is my number one actor in Nollywood this year. If his
ascension to this list in the first place would shock anyone, I would
gleefully go the extra mile to add an electrocution value to that shock.
The Veteran Actor has perhaps given us his role of a lifetime and one
which we will never forget in years to come.
I do not wish to believe that Uncle Sadiq’s role in ‘ October 1‘ could very well be a magnum opus to the industry, having being called out of a self-imposed retirement by Kunle Afolayan. It shouldn’t be. As the Colonial Inspector in ‘October 1‘, Mr Daba shows us all why tried and tested actors of his professional ilk are still the unbeatable best. One could appreciate that he personally put in a lot of research and hard work into his character and limited himself professionally to acceptable areas of believable acting, eschewing melodramatic dictates which other actors cast in that role might have been tempted to accede to.
His acting reached a powerful crescendo when in the last scene, he confronted the White Colonial officers. That was an awesome interpretation. In this age of harried and hurried actors who believe that they know it all, they can learn lots from actors like Sadiq Daba.
He gets my ultimate diadem for 2014. Congratulations, Sir.
READ MORE: http://www.naij.com/343540-charles-novias-top-5-nollywood-actors-in-2014.html
Charles Novia
Here are the movie director’s most-choiced actors of 2014 which he published on his blog and reasons why he picked them…enjoy! .
For the crowd which believes that an actor’s popularity and fan base automatically means that such an actor must be on lists such as this, I say to you; get your heads out of your closets. On this platform, all levels of professionalism are used as universal templates. I do not give a damn about the number of years an actor or actress has spent in the industry when I draw up such lists. I am more concerned with areas of the actors body of work for the year and how impressive such was when placed under an artistic microscope.
Using criteria such as interpretation, characterization, internalization, enunciation, and actor’s visualization among others, the following actors are my top 5 for 2014.
5. AYO MAKUN (AY)
Ayo Makun
4. TOPE TEDELA
Tope Tedela
For Tope Tedela, his talent may well take him places.
3. LUCKY EJIM
Lucky Ejim
2. MIKE OMOREGBE
Mike Omoregbe
1. SADIQ DABA
Sadiq Daba
I do not wish to believe that Uncle Sadiq’s role in ‘ October 1‘ could very well be a magnum opus to the industry, having being called out of a self-imposed retirement by Kunle Afolayan. It shouldn’t be. As the Colonial Inspector in ‘October 1‘, Mr Daba shows us all why tried and tested actors of his professional ilk are still the unbeatable best. One could appreciate that he personally put in a lot of research and hard work into his character and limited himself professionally to acceptable areas of believable acting, eschewing melodramatic dictates which other actors cast in that role might have been tempted to accede to.
His acting reached a powerful crescendo when in the last scene, he confronted the White Colonial officers. That was an awesome interpretation. In this age of harried and hurried actors who believe that they know it all, they can learn lots from actors like Sadiq Daba.
He gets my ultimate diadem for 2014. Congratulations, Sir.
READ MORE: http://www.naij.com/343540-charles-novias-top-5-nollywood-actors-in-2014.html
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