Nigerian Actors and Musicians

1. Enuka Okuma

Enuka Okuma was born on September 20, 1976 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She is an actress and writer, known for Workin' Moms (2017), The Sleepover (2020) and Rookie Blue (2010). She has been married to Joe Gasparin since July 2, 2011.

She's on Rookie Blue

2. Hope Olaidé Wilson

Actress | Spenser Confidential

Hope Olaidé Wilson was born in the UK. She is an actress and producer, known for Spenser Confidential (2020), Solace (2018) and The Last Ship (2014).

3. Sade

Soundtrack | A Wrinkle in Time

Sade was born on January 16, 1959 in Ibadan, Nigeria. She is a music artist and composer, known for A Wrinkle in Time (2018), True Lies (1994) and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010). She was previously married to Carlos Scola.

4. Rakie Ayola

Actress | Been So Long

Rakie Ayola was born on May 11, 1968 in Cardiff, Wales, UK. She is an actress and producer, known for Been So Long (2018), Twelfth Night (2018) and No Offence (2015). She is married to Adam Smethurst. They have two children.

5. Genevieve Nnaji

Actress | Road to Yesterday

Genevieve Nnaji started her acting career as a child actress in the then-popular television soap opera "Ripples" at the age of 8. She was also featured in several commercials, some of which included Pronto beverage and Omo detergent. In 1998, at the age of 19, she made her debut in the growing ...

6. Seal

Soundtrack | Batman Forever

His Nigerian mother and Brazilian-born father were still studying when Seal was born. They were barely able to stay afloat with odd jobs. Shortly after his birth, Seal was sent to a foster family, where he grew up in sheltered conditions until he was four years old. In 1967, his mother Adebisi ...

7. Sophie Okonedo

Actress | Hotel Rwanda

Sophie Okonedo is a British actress. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Tatiana Rusesabagina in Hotel Rwanda (2004).

Okonedo was born within London in 1968. Her parents were Henry Okonedo (1939-2009) and Joan Allman. Her father was British Nigerian ...

8. Chiwetel Ejiofor

Actor | 12 Years a Slave

English actor, writer and director Chiwetel Ejiofor is renowned for his portrayal of Solomon Northup in 12 Years a Slave (2013), for which he received Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations, along with the BAFTA Award for Best Actor. He is also known for playing Okwe in Dirty Pretty Things...

9. Annie Ilonzeh

Actress | Peppermint

Annie Ilonzeh was born on August 23, 1983 in Grapevine, Texas, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Peppermint (2018), Person of Interest (2011) and He's Just Not That Into You (2009).

She's the first black Charlie's Angel

10. Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde

Actress | Alter Ego

Omotola Jalade Ekeinde (born February 7, 1978) is an actress, singer, and philanthropist from Lagos, Nigeria. Since her Nollywood film debut in 1995, she has appeared in an astounding 300 films, selling millions of video copies. After receiving numerous high-profile awards, launching a music career...

11. Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

Actor | Farming

Born and raised in London, England, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje began his career as a model in Milan. He graduated with a masters degree in Law from London's prestigious Kings College, before moving to Los Angeles to make the transition to acting. Fluent in several languages, including English, ...

12. Stephanie Linus

Actress | Dry

Stephanie Linus is a Nigerian actress/filmmaker with an infectious personality. She has earned a reputation as Africa's foremost actress, especially in Nollywood, the Nigerian film industry, which The New York Times reported to be the world's third largest.

She has starred in more than 100 films and...

13. Carmen Ejogo

Actress | Selma

Carmen Elizabeth Ejogo was born in Kensington, London, England, to a Nigerian father and a Scottish mother. Her television career began in the United Kingdom in the early 1990s, where she presented the children's series Saturday Disney (1990). Subsequently, she has had an acting career in the ...

14. Megalyn Echikunwoke

Actress | Night School

Ebubennem Megalyn Ann Echikunwoke was born May 28, in Spokane, Washington. Her father was Nigerian and her mother is of English and Scots-Irish descent. Her last name, "Echikunwoke", means "leader of men" and Megalyn is the granddaughter of a Nigerian tribal leader of the Igbo, which technically ...

15. Chamillionaire

Soundtrack | Never Back Down

Hakeem Temidayo Seriki (born November 28, 1979), better known by his stage name Chamillionaire, is an American rapper and entrepreneur.

He was the founder and an original member of The Color Changin' Click from 2001 until the group split in 2005. He began his solo career with local releases in 2002,...

16. Shirley Bassey

Soundtrack | Moonraker

Shirley Bassey was born in Tiger Bay, Cardiff, Wales, and raised in the nearby working class neighborhood of Splott. Her mother was originally from Yorkshire, and her father was a Nigerian seaman who left the family when she was less than two. She later helped to support her family by working in an...

17. Wale

Soundtrack | Free Guy

Wale was born on September 21, 1984 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA. He is a music artist and actor, known for Free Guy (2021), Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019) and American Honey (2016).

18. Tinie Tempah

Soundtrack | Arthur

Tinie Tempah was born on November 7, 1988 in Plumstead, London, England, UK. He is a music artist and actor, known for Arthur (2011), I Give It a Year (2013) and Step Up All In (2014).

19. Taio Cruz

Soundtrack | Rio

Taio Cruz is a British song writer, producer and performer coming up to the international scene in early 2009. His first international hit, "Break Your Heart" has sold millions of copies worldwide. Other hits include, "Dynamite" and recently released hit "Higher" featuring Kylie Minogue is already ...

20. Osas Ighodaro

Actress | Love, Lust & Other Things

Osas Ighodaro is an actor, host, producer and humanitarian.

She is a proud Nigerian-American who is a graduate from Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Broadcast Journalism and dual minor degrees in Entrepreneurship and Theatre. She continued on to earn a Masters of Fine...

21. Hugo Weaving

Actor | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Hugo Wallace Weaving was born on April 4, 1960 in Nigeria, to English parents Anne (Lennard), a tour guide and teacher, and Wallace Weaving, a seismologist. Hugo has an older brother, Simon, and a younger sister, Anna, who both also live and work in Australia. During his early childhood, the ...

Yeah, he's white, but he was born in Nigeria therefore he is Nigerian.

22. Judith Shekoni

Actress | The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2

Judith Shekoni has been in the industry for over 20 years. Her career started with EastEnders (1985) (BBC) and Hallmark series, The Hidden City (2002). This helped her break the US market where she has appeared on every major US network. Mike & Molly (2010) (with Melissa McCarthy, CBS), ...

23. Arinzé Kene

Actor | The Pass

Quite possibly the most underrated and underexposed actor of his caliber in both theatre and screen, Arinze Kene's undeniable talent and ability to successfully bring to life any role he undertakes is on a par with the most praised and revered A-list actors in the business.

Kene was born in Lagos, ...

24. Gbenga Akinnagbe

Actor | The Taking of Pelham 123

Olugbenga Enitan Temitope Akinnagbe is an American actor and writer, best known for his roles as Chris Partlow on the HBO series The Wire and as Larry Brown on the HBO series The Deuce. Akinnagbe was born in Washington, D.C., the son of Yoruba Nigerian parents, and was raised in Silver Spring, ...

25. Tuface Idibia

Producer | Power of 1

Tuface Idibia is known for Power of 1 (2018), Fated (2005) and Wurukum Roundabout (2017). He has been married to Annie Macauley since 2012.

26. David Oyelowo

Actor | Lawmen: Bass Reeves

David Oyelowo also known as 'David O', is a classically trained stage actor who has quickly become one of Hollywood's most sought-after talents. He graduated from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), and received the "Scholarship for Excellence" from Nicholas Hytner in 1998.

David ...

27. Vera Ephraim

Actress | Omena

Vera Ephraim's full name is Vera Nkechi Anenyeonu. She is from Anambra state, Nigeria. "Ephraim" is her dad's first name, she decided to use it for her professional name as a sign of his support in her life. Her parents died when she was very young. Vera Nkechi Anenyeonu, actor, Dancer and ...

28. Adepero Oduye

Actress | 12 Years a Slave

Adepero Oduye hails from Brooklyn, New York City by way of Nigeria. She is a graduate of Cornell University; and has studied acting with Wynn Handman, Austin Pendleton, and Susan Batson. Her name is pronounced "Add-eh-pair-o Oh-due-yay."

Her theatre credits include Danai Gurira's play Eclipsed, at ...

29. Nonso Anozie

Actor | Cinderella

Nonso Anozie was born on November 17, 1978 in London, England, UK. He is an actor and producer, known for Cinderella (2015), Conan the Barbarian (2011) and Happy-Go-Lucky (2008).

30. Dayo Okeniyi

Actor | Dark Matter

Dayo Okeniyi (Pronounced: Die-o Okay-nii-yii) began performing on the stage in elementary school. In 2003, Okeniyi, the youngest of five siblings, moved from Nigeria with his family to the The United States. His father, now a retired customs officer and mother, a British literature teacher, were ...

31. Esosa E.

Actress | 50 Bucks in Argentina

Esosa E is an award winning Producer, Writer, Actress, Health Expert, and Fashion Designer who was named a "Young African Visionary" by Obaseema Magazine and included in Applause Africa's list of "30 Most Intriguing Africans in NY." She thus far is most known for playing the role of Ngozi on the ...

32. Ebbe Bassey

Actress | Ties That Bind

Ebbe Bassey was born in the Bronx, New York and raised in Calabar, Nigeria, West Africa. She is an actress, writer, producer who believes that art should educate and entertain. She studied the Meisner technique of Method acting at the William Esper Studio under the tutelage of Ms. Maggie Flanigan. ...

33. Deborah Ayorinde

Actress | Them

Deborah Ayorinde was born in London, England. At age seven, she performed in her first play with a drama school in the Forest Gate area of London. It was there that she developed a passion for the arts. When she was eight years old, she and her family relocated to San Jose, California. She ...

34. Grace Ayorinde

Actress | Blackmail

Grace Ayorinde is known for Blackmail (2017) and Totally Packaged (2012).

35. Chris Obi

Actor | American Gods

Chris Obi is known for American Gods (2017), Star Trek: Discovery (2017) and Snow White and the Huntsman (2012).

36. Rotimi

Actor | Divergent

Rotimi was born on November 30, 1988 in East Orange, New Jersey, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Divergent (2014), Power (2014) and Coming 2 America (2021).

37. Fumi Desalu-Vold

Actress | Norbit

Fumi has appeared in the Number 1 Soap Opera, "Hotel Caesar" (English translation) in Norway! She has a great charisma that is very rare, and i think Norway and Europe for that matter is looking forward to seeing her talent, which is Fresh, New and exciting and make her their next Scandinavian ...

38. David Ajala

Actor | Jupiter Ascending

David Ajala was born on May 21, 1986 in Hackney, London, England, UK. He is an actor and producer, known for Jupiter Ascending (2015), Furious 6 (2013) and The Dark Knight (2008).

39. Caroline Chikezie

Actress | Æon Flux

Caroline Chikezie was born in London, England, UK. She is an actress and producer, known for Æon Flux (2005), Eragon (2006) and The Double Deal (2014).