Being the most populous nation in Africa, with over 180 million people and counting, it shouldn't be a surprise to have Nigerians making it big all over the world. I guess the land can't contain us. Although some of the actors I am going to be listing below have never been to Nigeria before, all of them are of Nigerian descent. Okay...here we go. Below is a list of 13 successful Hollywood actors of Nigerian descent.
13. Carmen Ejogo
I remember being in secondary school, and instantly falling in love with her sweet British accent when I saw her in Metro (1997), with Eddie Murphy...little did I know at the time that she had Nigerian blood in her. Carmen Ejogo was born in London to a Nigerian father, and a Scottish mother. She started out getting small roles in TV back in London in the early 90s, before making it in Hollywood before the end of that decade. Her most notable movies are- Metro (1997), Sparkle (2012), Selma (2014), and the yet to be released and highly anticipated Alien Covenant (2017).
12. Hakeem Kae-Kazim
A lot of people would be surprised with this one, cos even I was surprised when his name came up when I started the research for this article. Well, I didn't know his name, but I knew the face. Hakeem Kae-Kazim has played in a host of American TV series like- Lost, 24, and Law & Order. He has also appeared in a couple of successful box office movies like; X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007), Hotel Rwanda (2004), and The Fourth Kind (2009).
Hakeem was born in Lagos on the independence day of 1962. His parents emigrated to London the following year with baby Hakeem. So, even though he was born in Nigeria to 'Egba' parents, he grew up in London, where he was classically trained at the highly regarded Bristol Old Vic (Theater and Acting School).
13. Carmen EjogoI remember being in secondary school, and instantly falling in love with her sweet British accent when I saw her in Metro (1997), with Eddie Murphy...little did I know at the time that she had Nigerian blood in her. Carmen Ejogo was born in London to a Nigerian father, and a Scottish mother. She started out getting small roles in TV back in London in the early 90s, before making it in Hollywood before the end of that decade. Her most notable movies are- Metro (1997), Sparkle (2012), Selma (2014), and the yet to be released and highly anticipated Alien Covenant (2017).
12. Hakeem Kae-KazimA lot of people would be surprised with this one, cos even I was surprised when his name came up when I started the research for this article. Well, I didn't know his name, but I knew the face. Hakeem Kae-Kazim has played in a host of American TV series like- Lost, 24, and Law & Order. He has also appeared in a couple of successful box office movies like; X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007), Hotel Rwanda (2004), and The Fourth Kind (2009).
Hakeem was born in Lagos on the independence day of 1962. His parents emigrated to London the following year with baby Hakeem. So, even though he was born in Nigeria to 'Egba' parents, he grew up in London, where he was classically trained at the highly regarded Bristol Old Vic (Theater and Acting School).
