In my ‘expert’ opinion, I am pleased to report that Nollywood has much to offer beyond its stellar acting talent… mostly in the way of aesthetically pleasing actors. In the diaspora, the film industry is not only influencing identity but it is also proving that there is plenty of potential romance back home.
You can feel the heat rising in the New Nollywood scene as actors have gone above and beyond to feed the hungry eyes of a largely female audience. In addition to quintessential African hilarity and passion, Nollywood provides the ladies with a list of hotties that surely rivals Hollywood.
Runner up in the 2010 Mr Nigeria contest, this silky smooth actor and model has played a range of characters, from devious to deliriously in love! His gym scene in Single, Married and Complicated may have had me rolling on the floor with laughter, but his seriously steamy scenes in Folly had me caught between guilty embarrassment and guilty pleasure.
International rising star, OC caught the eye of many in the diaspora, when he starred in British diasporic comedy Gone Too Far. He may have took Nollywood by storm with those gentle eyes and that wicked smile but it was the fly kick he delivered to his foes, in socks and SANDALS in Gone too Far that got me! Only a certain kind of man can switch between comedic and emotional so quickly in one film.
Photographs of OC’s wedding broke my heart, but at least we can pretend he’s still on the market on screen. Check him out in When Love Happens.
This caramel compilation of Lebanese and Ghanaian goodness can attest to countless flawless performances on screen. Majid has cross-boarder appeal making him a serious hit with the ladies. OK, OK, his more eccentric roles have put me off; a high pitch is great for emphasis but doesn’t do it for me. That is not to say that this light-skinned brother doesn’t know how to turn a scene from calm to straight intense!
Here’s another ‘Black Star’ who has claimed his place on the Nollywood scene. Often taking the role of a king, there is certainly something regal about the way this actor and humanitarian carries himself.
He knows how to flip the script and convey vulnerability; there’s something about the droop in those broad shoulders and the lowered eyes that makes my heart melt. Dumelo’s highly sensual depiction of Dr. Manuel in A Northern Affair certainly left me flustered.
This actor and TV presenter has stolen the hearts of many not just for his fantastic comedic timing but also for his unchallengeable fashion sense… not to mention those luscious locks! Uti has velvet in his voice. And of course there is something about the smouldering stare that he delivers to his siblings in In the Cupboard that made me pause and re-think my rule against men with hair potentially longer than my own. You can catch him regularly co-hosting Jara on Africa Magic!
Clearly I have a thing for the tall, dark and handsome #TeamDarksin, but I’m not here to start a war. I am simply here to report that Nollywood is moving forward, not only in film quality and glamour factor, but in the way these actors can make you feel. More and more fine guys are arriving every day. And I will be here to welcome them.