The long dead cinema culture is gradually returning. Cinema houses are springing up all over the country and big bucks men are beginning to see it like the great gold rush of old. All thanks to Senator Ben Bruce – he started the plunge and took every other carpetbagging sniffer on the ride!
Maybe the investors have done right, at least, by themselves, but the faces getting people to go chew popcorn and ice-cream while having their eyes peeled are the actors, both male and female. For the men, one would have expected the likes of Ramsey Nouah, Jim Iyke or Emeka Ike leading the bunch but it seems these guys aren’t such good swimmers as they used to be.
Coasting home right now on the big screen are a new set of guys who seem to be snapping up all the scripts. They are dashing, daring and disarming, both in looks and talents. Though, there are many like them but it looks like those are only good enough for the DVD films. In the last couple of years these five guys have reigned supreme on the big screen in a big way. In no particular order here are the Potpourri’s top five guys ruling the big screen. We call them ‘Fabulous Five’
Alex Ekubo
Alex Ekubo
Alex Ekubo’s film debut was a minor role in Lancelot Imasuen’s Sinners in the House in 2005. His first major role was in Ladies Man, couple of years later. In 2010 he emerged first runner up at the Mr. Nigeria contest. Since then he has won several awards and recognitions. His roll-call of films include: In the Cupboard, True Citizens, Dream Walker, Weekend Getaway, Gold Digging, Keeping My Man, Lagos Cougars, All That Glitters, Single, Married and Complicated, Champagne, among others. Most of his films are for the big screen,
Chatting with Potpourri recently, the handsome actor told us what drives him as an actor. “What drives me as an actor is my desire to succeed in my chosen career and the desire to make my family proud. I wouldn’t want to let down those who believe in me and ultimately to be a good ambassador of my country and continent.
Stating his dos and don’ts, he said “ I don’t compromise my standard; I don’t do African time; I don’t take more than I can handle at a time. So, I give my 100% to any project at hand”.
His list of dos includes being open to correction; reading his script over and over again; keeping positive attitude and committing every project in God’s hand and praying very hard.
Joseph Benjamin
Joseph Benjamin made his movie debut at the age of 12 in the famed Tales by Moonlight. His first adult film was Crossroads,
*Joseph
alongside Ramsey Nouah and Sandra Achums. Many will remember him as the cocky co-host of MTN’s Project Fame. He has won many awards including the African Actor of the Year award at the 2012 African Film Awards.
He has done TV, DVD but he is currently one of the leading lights of the big screen. Most of his recent films are cinema movies. Top on the log are Mr and Mrs, Kiss and Tell, Tango with Me, Torn, Married but Living Single, and Murder at Prime Suites among others.
Uti Nwachukwu
Some may want to argue that this debonair young dude has made his name more as a model and a compere than as an actor. After his whirlwind romance in the Big Brother Africa reality show which he ultimately won in 2010 he tested the waters of acting and he found it much to his taste.
Many controversies have trailed Uti but he has always found a way of shrugging them off and even coming out
Uti Nwachukwu
Ukeje
better off. Like other four actors in this category, Uti has done virtually nothing but cinema films. Tops on his log are: In the Cupboard, Red Hot, Deep Inside, Broken Silence 1& 2, True Citizens, One Last Word and a few others.
Blossom Chukwujekwu
He earned his acting debut playing the lead in the 2009 soap opera; Portrait of Passion and has since been on a steady rise. His first feature movie was Vivian Ejike’s Private Storm starring Ramsey Noauh and Omotola Jalade Ekeinde.
He is a surprise inclusion on this list but he has earned his place by being probably one of the most featured faces on the big screen. Blossom’s film credits include; Flower Girl, Finding Mercy, Knocking on Heaven’s Door, The Visit, Forgetting June, Commandment 7, among others.
OC Ukeje
Okechukwu Ukeje known simply as OC Ukeje came into prominence after winning the Amstel Malta Box Office (AMBO) reality show. Since then he has gone on to establish himself as a good actor who can deliver the goods wherever the scrips place him. His efforts have not gone unnoticed as he has raked in his own share of tops awards. On his shelf are to be found, AMAA, AMVCA, NEA, BON, GIAMA awards alongside many other honours.
He is more of cinema actor than otherwise and he has to his credit a number of blockbusters that had taken the industry by storm. Among them are Half of a Yellow Sun, Confusion Na Wa, Awakening, Black November, Two Brides and a Baby, Hoodrush, Alan Poza and many others.
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