My annual ‘ Top 5 Best Actress/Best Actor’ list has always been released for the past three years during this period and it culminates for me, an exciting year in Nollywood wherein more than ever this year, there was a competitive slant in the quality of acting in the industry.
The year 2016 has been quite an interesting one for Nollywood as one could arguably conclude that more than ever, there were more exciting films released by Nollywood filmmakers at the Box Office than ever in the past five years. With a couple more to look forward to before the year draws the final curtains, some might argue that I am bringing out this list prematurely but I beg to differ. I think I have seen all what I have to see to know that those who make this list this year really deserve to be on this list and have given brilliant performances in 2016.
First, my overview of Nollywood in 2016; Nollywood was phenomenal in international networking and received deserved recognition but still floundering in production ambitions, story directions and elevation of general artistry. Many of the movies which had cinema runs in 2016 by Nollywood Filmmakers had no business being on the big screen and most should have been consigned to television fares rather than wasting the recession-tested money of the movie goers. Having watched many of such movies in 2016 with my team of judges, one’s patience was tested in many cases and I certainly hope that filmmakers would learn that the box office is not necessarily an avenue for boring movie goers with sleep-inducing fares. A lot of Nollywood movies which were released in the cinemas in 2016 had what I term ‘ the smooch factor’; which is an uncomplimentary term I coined where bored couples buy the tickets, find themselves alone in the hall in many cases and begin to smooch themselves while the movie flickers on the screen!
Once again in 2016, television series and serials gave Nollywood films a good run for money and a couple of outstanding commissioned productions opened a new window for me to re-evaluate old and new talents.
I always use the following criteria for awarding my prizes and it hasn’t changed this year; Interpretation, Visualisation, Characterisation and Enunciation.
I do not use ‘Stardom’ ‘A-Listers’ or whatever general considerations others might have in arriving at conclusions. It’s purely professional and nothing personal.
BEST 5 ACTRESSES IN NOLLYWOOD IN 2016
NUMBER 5: NANCY ISIME
Nancy Isime
I can bet many people would be asking who she is and those who know her as a television presenter on a music channel might not even have an idea that she is an actress. I never did until a few months ago, I watched her in two movies and she completely delivered the goods in both. Nancy featured in ‘Hex’ a short film by music video maestro, Clarence Peters where she played the role of a cagey young lady and played her role to the hilt. Her ability to subsume the role and take over the screen in that short movie first caught my attention and I made a note that this was one lady to look out for in the future. That future came too soon as I watched her a few weeks later in ‘Gidi Blues’, where she played a supporting role but did it so well that it got me wondering why she did not play the lead role in the first place as Hauwa Allahburaka, the lead actress in that movie, was sometimes bland in delivery where it mattered. Nancy Isime gave natural and effortless reactions in ‘Gidi Blues’ and she was a delight to watch. This is one actress to watch out for, if the right scripts find her and all she needs is one big break. Take it from me, this young lady may go places.