Charles Novia Lists Nollywood's Top 5 Actresses Of 2013, Omits Omotola, Genevieve Nnaji, Kate Henshaw

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.