You thought Nigeria was only known for jollof rice? Think again! We are taking over the music charts, tech startups, topping the jollof supremacy chart and secretly taking over Hollywood too!
Some of your favorite actors have Naija roots, and we are here to spill the tea.
Don’t worry, if you didn’t know before, now you know.
1. Chiwetel Umeadi Ejiofor
Who would have thought that the voice of scar in ‘The Lion King’ (2016 ) is a Nigerian.
This Oscar-nominated actor from 12 Years a Slave has been secretly repping Nigeria while rocking the British accent. He is Igbo by blood. His father, Arinze, was a doctor, and his mother, Obiajulu, was a pharmacist.
He is the recipient of various prestigious awards, including a British Academy Film Award and a Laurence Olivier Award, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and five Golden Globe Awards. In 2008, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) and in 2015, he was advanced to Commander (CBE) for his services to the arts./////
2. Wunmi Mosaku
Wunmi might have left Zaria as a baby, but the Nigerian spirit never left her. Born to Yoruba parents who were both professors, Wunmi moved to Manchester, England when she was just one. Safe to say, the Naija spirit stuck with her, probably because her parents kept reminding her to “remember where you came from!”
This award-winning actress has made waves in Hollywood, from playing Joy BBC Two miniseries ‘Moses Jones’ (2009) and Holly Lawson in the ITV series Vera (2011–2012), to starring as Annie in the horror film ‘Sinners’ (2025). You might also recognize her from ‘Lovecraft Country’ or as Hunter B-15 in Loki. Basically, if it’s supernatural or epic, Wunmi is probably in it.
It’s safe to say she’s living proof that even if you leave Nigeria, greatness never really leaves you.
3. Hakeem Kae-Kazim
Born in Lagos State to a family from Abeokuta, Ogun State, Hakeem has played everything from fierce warlords to wise elders. Pirates? Mutants? Hotel owners in Rwanda? You name it, he has played them all. He may have moved to South London as a baby, but his Naija roots still run deep.
He made his feature film debut in Ross Kettle’s After the Rain (1999) alongside Louise Lombard & Paul Bettany and burst onto the international scene with his powerful role as Georges Rutaganda in the Oscar-nominated Hotel Rwanda (2004). But if you think he stopped there, think again… Hakeem has starred in everything from Pirates of the Caribbean to Black Sails, and even played a mutant in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
Fun fact: Hakeem also starred in Last ‘Flight to Abuja’, one of the highest-grossing Nollywood films ever. Talk about a man of many passports.
Anyways, from Nollywood to Hollywood, he is showing that Nigerians take their talents worldwide, without breaking a sweat (literally!)
4. Cynthia Erivo Or Cynthia Chinasaokwu Onyedinmanasu Amarachukwu Owezuke Echimino Erivo
First of all, can we take a moment to appreciate the sheer length of her full name? If that isn’t peak Naija, we don’t know what is!
This British-Nigerian actress can sing, act, and probably convince you to bring one person to bring one person (if you know, you know). Cynthia Erivo doesn’t just collect awards, she hoards them with finesse. From a Tony Award to a Grammy Award, a Daytime Emmy Award, and nominations for three Academy Awards, her portfolio is stacked!
You probably know her for playing Elphaba in the musical fantasy film ‘Wicked’ (2024), earning a truckload of nominations including Best Actress at the Golden Globes and Academy Awards. Oh, and let’s not forget her legendary performance in the Broadway revival of ‘The Color Purple’, which scooped her a Tony Award and a Daytime Emmy.
With all this talent, it’s safe to say that she deserves all the recognition she has been getting, because “Naija no dey ever carry last!”
5. Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
Adewale was born in Islington, London to Yoruba parents who were students in the UK, but don’t let the accent fool you. He is as Nigerian as it gets, and has got the ‘Akinnuoye-Agbaje’ name to prove it.
Adewale started his modeling career, which led him to Hollywood, where he began his acting career with a 1995 role in Congo. His best-known acting roles have been as the imposing convict Simon Adebisi in the 1990s HBO prison series Oz and as Mr. Eko on ABC’s survivor drama Lost.
He portrayed Kurse in the Marvel Studios film Thor: The Dark World. He portrayed the character Malko in the fifth season of Game of Thrones. In 2015 it was reported that Akinnuoye-Abaje voices the lead character of Bilal, a film about the life of Bilal Ibn Rabah set to be released in the second half of the year. In 2016, he co-starred in the DC Comics film ‘Suicide Squad’ as the Batman villain Killer Croc.
Forget superheroes, this guy looks like he could beat up Superman. He’s been in The Bourne Identity, Lost, and Suicide Squad. Imagine telling your Nigerian parents you want to be a villain in Hollywood. The lecture would last three business days.
6. Uzo Aduba
If you didn’t know…Uzo was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Igbo parents from Nigeria and grew up in Medfield, Massachusetts
In the past years, she has gained wide recognition for her role as Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren on the Netflix original series ‘Orange Is the New Black’ that aired from 2013 to 2019. A series for which she won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2014, an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2015, and two SAG Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series in 2014 and 2015. Impressive right!?
That’s not all, taking a deep dive into her past, the superstar was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Igbo parents from Nigeria and grew up in Medfield, Massachusetts
“Crazy Eyes” in Orange Is the New Black? More like Sharp Eyes when dealing with Nigerian parents. She once mentioned that her real name, Uzoamaka, confused Americans so much that she had to explain it meant “The road is good.” Nigerians watching Orange Is the New Black probably yelled, “Ahn ahn, this is our person!”
Beyond Crazy Eyes though, Uzo has consistently proven her acting chops, showing that Naija talent knows no bounds. Whether it’s comedy or drama, she’s got it covered… with a bit of Igbo sass on the side.
7. Adetomiwa Edun
Remember Sir Elyan from ‘Merlin’? Yeah, that knight in shining armor is actually a full-on Nigerian too; who would have thought!
Adetomiwa was born in Lagos to Nigerian financier and politician dad, Olawale Edun and half-Ghanaian, half-English mum, Amy Adwoa. He moved to the UK at age 11, but not before his parents probably told him to face his books.
Fun fact: Adetomiwa became only the second Black actor to play Romeo at the Globe Theatre in 2009. He also starred in ‘Slaves’, a play by Rex Obano. While his dad wanted him to be a banker, Adetomiwa chose acting instead – and it’s paying off big time.
From Romeo and Juliet to Merlin, Edun has proven that Nigerian royalty isn’t just about agbada and pepper soup…sometimes it comes with a sword and British accent too.
8. Caroline Chikezie
Chikezie was born in England to Nigerian parents of Igbo origin. She appeared as Lisa Hallett, a member of the secret organization of Torchwood who had been transformed into a half-human, half-Cyberman in “Cyberwoman,” an episode of Torchwood, and as Tamara, a fellow demon hunter, in the 3rd-season premiere of Supernatural.
In 2018, she starred as a recurring character, Queen Tamlin of Leah, in the 2nd season of ‘Shannara Chronicles.’
The beautiful star of the movie “Mayhem.” From her name and fierce acting skills, you can already tell how Nigerian she is.
Nigerian parents: “You must be a doctor!”
Caroline Chikezie: Stars in sci-fi and action films.
Nigerian parents: “…Okay, just don’t disgrace us.”
9. Keiynan Lonsdale
‘The Flash’, ‘Love, Simon’, and ‘Dance Academy,’ all featured this Australian actor with Edo roots. With a name like Keiynan, Nigerians probably thought he was Yoruba, but nope, Benin City says hello!
Lonsdale was born in Sydney, New South Wales, on 19 December 1991. He is the son of a Nigerian father of Edo descent and an Australian-born mother of Irish and Danish descent, and he has eleven siblings – yes, you heard right, 11!
10. Yvonne Orji
Yvonne is proudly Pitakwa… If you don’t know that means, let’s simply say, the star was born in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria, to Igbo parents, but grew up in Laurel, Maryland, United States.
Just like PH people no dey fear anyone, that how sure we are that Nigerian parents can’t breathe when she’s around, because of the way she lets out all their secrets on national TV.
That’s not all, Yvonne is a scholar o! She earned both a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts and a master’s degree in public health from George Washington University. Orji’s parents expected her to become a doctor, lawyer, pharmacist, or engineer. However, she was inspired to do comedy as a graduate student when she performed stand-up in the talent portion of a beauty pageant.
Anyways, she’s made a name for herself by sticking to her Nigerian roots and making the world know how unapologetically Nigerian she is.
Yvonne became a star on the TV show “Insecure.” She embraces her Nigerian heritage proudly, proving that comedy is a Nigerian trait.
