For those who may not agree with me on the choice of actresses in this list, you are free to draw your own conclusions. However, note that this is not a list of ‘The Top Actresses in Nollywood based on over-exposure on Red Carpets’ or some whimsical fan base.
This list is based on talent, characterisation, body of artistic work for the year in review
and most of all interpretation of the roles the actresses played.
I watched a number of films this year and as many as were being churned out in all the zones, I had to pin-point my search to specifics.
None was judged on nebulous criteria such as ‘how many years one has spent acting’ or awards won in other climes in the year in question. Whether new or old, the actresses on this list gave a rousing performance in 2013 and I applaud them.
So, here are the Best 5 Nollywood Actresses in 2013.
- NUMBER 5: RITA DOMINIC
Rita had a good year. Winning ‘Best Actress’ a couple of times (among
many nominations ) for the movie ‘The Meeting’. I also watched her in
another recently released movie, ‘Finding Mercy’ but felt that she gave a
listless and lukewarm performance in that flick. In ‘The Meeting’, Rita
was smoking. I would say that for the first time since I have been
seeing her in movies, she found the right script which explored her
acting depths.
Rita Dominic has more to prove in Nollywood, either as an actress or as a
Producer. If it is the former, then she has to be careful about her
choice of scripts from now on because there might be false slips ahead. A
good actress anyday, she is.
- NUMBER 4: YVONNE OKORO
Now this would raise eyebrows with people asking if Yvonne is from
Nollywood since she is associated more with Ghana. Nomencletures do not
matter to me. Nollywood is a global brand and is a huge platform for all
African actors to make their mark.
I must confess that I had not watched much of Yvonne’s movies before
‘The Contract’. I just knew her name from a few social media buzz which
was neither here nor there for me. So when I watched her performance in
‘The Contract’, my curiousity gave way to admiration. She interpreted
the role quite well. There was an almost effortless transistion of moods
and emotions in her characterisation and she had the audience eating
out of the palms of her hands all through the movie.
- NUMBER 3: DAMILOLA ADEGBITE
A surprise resignation from ‘TINSEL’in 2012 , made most people wonder
if Damilola knew what she was doing. She gave reasons for leaving the
televsion serial; to concentrate on her acting career. Watching her in
Michelle Bello’s ‘Flower Girl’ brought home the wisdom in her career
curve.
I have always held the notion that Damilola has a powerful screen
presence. There’s something sultry and appealing about her looks on
screen. Very few actors have that aura. In Damilola’s case, I thought it
wasn’t yet explored to the maximum. In ‘Flower Girl’, that screen aura
combined with a visible attempt at internalisation and visualisation by
Damilola in her role, made many see her in a whole new light. Finally,
the stirrings of a Super Actress is beginning to show.
- NUMBER 2: TAMARA ETIENO
Many people would not remember her name and it is likely many would
have forgotten her as the winner of ‘The Next Movie Star’ Reality show a
couple of years back
Tamara was simply awesome in the movie ‘Desperate Housegirls’! She gave
an organic and jaw-dropping performance which must her won her new fans
and etched her name somewhere on the consciousness of movie lovers.
There was a closeness to method acting when watching her in ‘Desperate
Housegirls’ and she must be commended for making acting interesting
again especially as we have been assailed with talentless actors and
actresses in the past few years. I predict that Tamara is going to shine
in a few months
- NUMBER 1: MERCY JOHNSON
Mercy would be my number one choice for ‘Best Actress’ in 2013. She has
simply been awesome in the her movies this year. There’s something
ultra-natural and organic about Mercy Johnson which confounds even her
critics. She can act. She delivers. In four movies I watched in 2013,
which she starred in, she was the epitome of delightful
characterisation. Watch her in the ‘Dumebi’ spawn of movies and you
would appreciate how her talent has evolved since she came back from her
Maternity Break.
Mercy is a chameleonic actress, one with the uncanny ability to immerse
herself in her roles. She can play the victimised House Maid in one
movie and switch to the Lady Boss in the next. In fact, if the role
suits her, she comes out smoking.
She is arguably the Best Actress for 2013. You can quote me on that.
Source: CharlesNoviaDaily
No comments:
Post a Comment
Disclaimer:
*Wapileno does NOT own any other blog/website apart from www.wapileno.com.
*Comments on this blog are NOT posted by Wapileno
*Wapileno readers are SOLELY responsible for the comments they post on wapileno.com
*Thank you.