Do you know that some of your best Nollywood actors have acted in more than 15 British and American films? Some of these Nollywood actors include Olu Jacobs, Genevieve Nnaji, Osas Ighodaro, and Jimmy Odukoya among others.
These Nollywood stars have shown that with talent, resilience, willingness to explore, and the ability to interpret roles, there is no boundary to how far actors can reach. While many Nigerian actors have featured in British films about others, here is a list of those who have reached Hollywood.
Nollywood Actors Who Have Appeared in Hollywood Films
1. Olu Jacobs
Olu Jacobs is definitely one of the greatest Nigerian actors of all time and he has projected the Nigerian movie industry in a respectable manner. In his earliest career, he was featured in more than 15 British and American TV series and films.
His career in Hollywood goes as far back as the 1970s and 1980s when he started to gain fame before he became popular as a Nollywood actor.
Some of the international films he featured in include the 1985 Walt Disney film, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend in which he played the role of Colonel Col. Nsogbu.
Even before that, Olu Jacobs had appeared in the 1979 Sketch comedy, Not the Nine O’Clock News. Another Hollywood film that this legendary Nollywood actor appeared in is Squadron in 1981 and before that, he was in the 1980 film, The Dogs of War in which he played the role of an Immigration officer.
He acted alongside international actors such as Christopher Walken, Tom Berenger, and Rowan Atkinson who is also popular as Mr. Bean.
2. Osas Ighodaro
The beautiful actress from Edo State has probably appeared in more Hollywood films than many other female Nigerian actors. Her being in Hollywood traces back to 2006 in a film when she appeared in the American legal drama television series, Conviction. This was before she moved back to Nigeria and later became a renowned actress.
Other American films she has featured in are Killa Season (2006), a crime film that was directed by American famous rapper, Cam’ron; Law & Order in 2007, Cadillac Records in 2008, Park Sharks in 2009, and Parallels from 2013 to 2014.
In Hollywood, Osas featured in the same film with notable people such as Beyonce, Krystal Farris, Columbus Short, and Jordan Bridges.
If you are still wondering who she may be, the beautiful actress has also been in many great Nigerian films including Gbomo Gbomo Express, Little Drops of Happy, Merry Men: The Real Yoruba Demons, and King of Boys.
3. Jimmy Odukoya
If you’ve seen the highly acclaimed film, The Woman King, then you probably may have seen Jimmy Odukoya who played the General of Oyo, Oba Ade.
The film has helped to take Jimmy to international stardom. He featured in the film alongside renowned American actor Viola Davis, British-Nigerian actor John Boyega, and South African actress Thuso Mbedu.
On the homefront, he doesn’t have too many films to his name. He appeared in Nigerian productions such as Baby Palavar in 2018, Crazy Grannies in 2021, and I Am Nazzy in 2022.
There are many who know him more as the son of the late Nigerian pastor and televangelist, Bimbo Odukoya, and her husband, Taiwo Odukoya.
4. Genevieve Nnaji
She is one of the most internationally recognized actors of all time. Genevieve has also been nicknamed the “Julia Roberts” of Africa by the international community.
Little wonder she makes it to the list of notable Nigerian actors in Hollywood. She has appeared in Farming. She played the role of Tolu in the film.
Genevieve has shared the same stage with top Hollywood actors such as Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, and Lee Ross.
One more thing about the legendary actress and her involvement with the international community, her film, Lionheart became the first Nollywood film to be taken by Nollywood in a deal that got her billions of Naira.
5. Wale Ojo
In many Nigerian films, Wale Ojo appears as a man who has returned to Nigeria from either America or England. Well, this happens to be his true story. Wale lived in Britain and started his rise to fame as an actor in the country before he returned to Nigeria.
He has been appearing in International films and TV series since the late 1980s. Wale appeared in the 1989 American Series Behaving Badly and BBC One British Sitcom, Heartburn Hotel from 1998 to 2000. Other works that he was a part of are The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency in 2009, and Black Earth Rising in 2018.
He also appeared in the Irish film Johnny English Reborn (1999). In Hollywood, he played a role in Johnny English Reborn (2011).
Wale Ojo acted alongside Black Panther actor Daniel Kaluuya. Other international actors, he worked with are Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean), and Dominic West.
6. Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde
Another popular Nollywood actor in Hollywood movies is Omotola, also known as Omosexy. She featured in the American sports drama TV series called Hit the Floor in 2018.
The series has other notable actors like Teyana Taylor, Tiffany Hines, Kimberly Elise, and Valery Ortiz.
7. O. C. Ukeje
Are you familiar with Alan Poza, the Nigerian film? Then you probably have come across O. C. Ukeje. He has interpreted so many Nigerian films in an excellent manner that it is no surprise he featured as Agent Manning in the American TV series, Departure (2022).
He played in the film alongside some of the big names in Hollywood such as Peter Mensah, Karen Le-Blanc, and Kris Holden.
While you think that this is all, O. C. has also appeared in another Hollywood film, Black Mail. He featured in the movie with another British-born Nigerian actor Alessandro Babalola.
8. Kemi Lala Akindoju
In the Nigerian movie industry, Kemi Lala is famous for Alan Poza and Dazzling Mirage. Well, she has also explored the international movie industry with her outstanding performance in Rise.
The film is centered on basketball player-brothers – Charles, Giannis, Thanasis, Alex, and Kostas Antetounmpo.
The film which was shot in the United States and Greece featured Kemi as Joy.
9. Stephanie Okereke-Linus
This beautiful and talented actress appeared in a Nigerian and an American-collaborated movie in 2008. However, it was in 2014 that she made a Hollywood debut in a movie called Boonville Redemption.
In 2016, she played the character of Doris in another Hollywood film titled Miracle in the Valley where she acted alongside Richard Tyson, Emily Hoffman, Pat Boone, and Edward Asner.
10. Jim Iyke
One of the most talented and handsome Nigerian actors, Jim Iyke has been featured in many international films, including Hollywood. He is notable for his roles in And Then There Was You in 2013 and Closure Mandate in 2022.
Jim Iyke has also appeared in a Nigerian-American collaborative film, Cultural Clash (2019).
In his Hollywood career, Jim has worked with some great international actors including Dawlish Carmauta, Trilby Glover, Brian White, and Lynn Whitfield.
11. Ray Emodi
A graduate of the New York Film Academy LA, United States, Ray Emodi has been featured in several American short films in the earliest phase of his career.
He was featured in Set Me Free (2011), A Daughter’s Dilemma (2012), God’s Own Villa (2013), Lues Hidden in the Truth (2013), and Animus (2015).
Ray Emodi has acted with other international actors such as Paris Dylan, Marianne Bourg, Sabrine Ferretti, and Steven Alan Davis.
12. Emmanuella
There is hardly anyone who loves comedy that has not come across Emmanuella Samuel. But do you know that this child actor was featured in an international film called Survive or Die in 2018?
She played the role of Shade’s Thought, a young girl who became a refugee in a remote inhabited part of Australia.
There were reports that she was set to appear in a Disney film in 2018, but nothing has come to light about the production.
In case you don’t know, Emmanuella was also in the 2018 Nollywood film, Lagos Real Fake Life.
