Since the turn of the decade and the birth of new Nollywood, actors and actresses who used to be the cynosure of our eyes in the 90s, and 2000s have been making comebacks in new Nollywood movies. The creativity, range, and talent they embodied and employed in keeping us glued to our screens also haven’t left them. We have seen Chidi Mokeme display impressive acting skills that made him the character to cast in Shanty Town, and more recently Alex Usifo in The Black Book is the reaffirmation that their sauce hasn’t run dry, and for that reason, we would love to see these old Nollywood actors and actresses make a comeback in new Nollywood movies.
Emeka Ike
Emeka Ike became a popular face on our screens in the late 90s and early 2000s, for his many roles which included being typecast as a loverboy. He embodied the roles excellently and soon he became a poster boy for loverboy characters in Nollywood.
Since he made his debut in the Nigerian movie industry in the 1995 movie Deadly Affair, Emeka Ike has brought many characters to life. Having starred in more than 300 Nollywood movies, the on-screen chemistry that Emeka Ike brought to the screens has been missing since he left acting. From Endless Love to A Million Tears, Ike’s execution in his roles either as a cultist or a poor village boy is second to none. Emeka Ike is currently a pastor in Germany. A pastor role wouldn’t be a terrible way for his masterful display range to resurface in Nollywood. Fingers crossed on that.
Clarion Chukwurah
Clarion Chukwurah was one of the screen goddesses who ruled Nigeria’s movie industry for the longest time. She kicked off her acting career in 1979 by performing in the school productions of Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ and Lady Macbeth in Macbeth by William Shakespeare. While pursuing her university education at the University of Ife where she studied speech and acting, her love for acting drew her to the University of Ibadan Performing Company where she undertook drama workshops before she joined “The Kenneries” with Tunji Oyelana as a backup singer.
Chukwurah is an actress with a long list of credits, she made her professional acting debut in 1984 with Lola Fani-Kayode’s soap opera Mirror in the Sun. Over the course of her 26-year career, she has starred in numerous Nollywood movies, and participated in numerous theatrical workshops, business seminars for the movie industry, script conferences, and refresher courses. She is a highly skilled actress who developed the necessary abilities through training and experience to become one of Africa’s best at character and method acting. She is best known for her roles in Glamour Girls 1 and its sequel, Egg Of Life, Abuja Connection, Money Power, Apaye, Yemoja, and many others. In 2021, she played Zumbura, the priestess of the oracle in Kunle Afolayan’s Amina.
Regina Askia-Williams
Regina Askia rose to the limelight in 1988 when she placed second in the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria contest and assumed the title of MBGN when winner Bianca Onoh resigned, and in 1990, Askia-Williams became the second most beautiful girl in the world. Her foray into acting came in 1993, when she played the role of a gold-digger as Tokunbo Johnson in the Nigerian soap opera, Fortunes which later became Mega Fortunes on NTA Network.
Her execution of the role earned her critical acclaim and recognition as a Nigerian actress. As a result, Askia-Williams starred in several Nollywood films during the 1990s and early 2000s, most of which were filmed to be released to a wide audience in Nigeria, and across the world. After her last known role in 2007’s Slave Warrior: The Beginning, Regina Asika-Williams stopped acting. She currently lives in the United States with her family and is now a Family Nurse Practitioner practicing in New York City.
Gentle Jack
There’s certainly nothing gentle about Gentle Jack. Making his debut in 1997’s Blood Money, Gentle Jack never ran short of creative fuel in his roles in epic movies. His muscular build was an advantage in executing those roles that required his body. In 1998, he starred in Vuga, and his excellent performance in the lead role earned him the nickname Vuga. Gentle Jack has played different roles alongside the legendary Pete Edochie, the late Saint Obi, Genevieve Nnaji, and other A-list actors. These days, Gentle Jack spends more of his time as a fitness enthusiast, however, we would be more than happy to see his return to the screens.
Van Vicker
In the galaxy of old Nollywood actors with incredible range, and incredible talent, Van Vicker stands tall. Born Joseph Van Vicker, the Ghanaian movie thespian was a delight on our screens in his prime. Starting off his acting career as a supporting actor in the movie, Divine Love, Van Vicker’s acting prowess transported him from Ghollywood to Nollywood where he made a name in executing roles as a loverboy, a prince, and the most sought-after bachelor.
Van Vicker’s relationship tapestry with Tonto Dikeh, Chika Ike, and Ini-Edo always comes to mind whenever on-screen relationship and love stories are told. We haven’t seen Van Vicker in movies as he is currently heading his production house, Sky + Orange Productions.
Stephanie Okereke-Linus
Stephanie Okereke-Linus began acting professionally in 1997 when she appeared in the Nollywood films Compromise 2 and Waterloo. In 2002, Okereke finished third in the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria beauty pageant. Out of the eight nominations she earned for the 2003 Reel Awards for “Best Actress – English” and “Best Actress of the Year 2003,”. After receiving her diploma from the New York Film Academy in 2007, she went on to direct, write, produce, and star in the film Through the Glass.
In 2009, the movie was nominated for an Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Screenplay. In 2014, Okereke wrote, directed, produced, and starred in Dry. The film won best movie overall at the 2016 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards and the 12th Africa Movie Academy Awards. Since her debut, Okereke has appeared in more than 90 films.
Lending her voice to gender-based violence against women, Okereke released two short films, The Student and Bad Police in 2021.
Tony Umez
Tony Umez debuted in the Nigerian movie industry in 1993, however, the lack of pay for the roles he played made him take a break from the industry and he returned six years later in 1997. However, his role as Chris in 1998 Died Wretched made him an actor to cast in movies. Tony Umez is essentially known for his role as a helpless romantic.
Across the 200 movies and series he has starred in, Tony Umez maintained an impressive role of playing the loverboy who always gets burned by his love interest. Tony Umez is best known for his roles in Blood Sister, Abuja Boys, Billionaire’s Club, 2021’s The Lockdown, and many other movies. Nollywood has never been short of men who are lovestruck, Tony Umez is proof.