Nollywood Stars Going Global: Nigerian Actors in Hollywood, Europe & Asia (2025)

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Nollywood is one of the busiest film industries in the world. In 2025, talent will travel farther than ever. Streaming platforms, film festivals, and co-productions have created opportunities, resulting in the increased casting of Nigerian actors in Hollywood and Europe. Simply put, Nollywood stars are going global because the world is watching Nigerian stories and taking notice of the actors who lead them. The Financial Times clearly stated that Nollywood’s output rivals that of Hollywood and Bollywood, despite challenges with funding and distribution. However, the sector continues to thrive due to the appetite of its domestic and international audience. 

That momentum makes 2025 a ripe year for Nigerian actors in Hollywood, Europe and Asia, precisely the kind of “bridge” talent that helps stories cross borders. Below, we profile trailblazers whose résumés include bona fide Nollywood hits and roles in foreign or Hollywood productions—clear examples of Nollywood stars making their mark globally.

 

From Nollywood to Hollywood (and other foreign markets)

Below is a list of the international success of Nigerian actors’ profiles, featuring actors who started in Nollywood and have since expanded to Hollywood. For each actor, you’ll see examples of the Nollywood work that built their name at home and the “foreign” or Hollywood credits that helped them go global. 

1. Hakeem Kae-Kazim

Hakeem Kae-Kazim is a Nigerian-British actor and producer. He is a Lagos-born, classically trained actor who splits time between Africa and the West. Kae-Kazim is one of the clearest “both worlds” examples of someone who is bankable at home and dependable in big Western franchises. He portrayed Georges Rutaganda in the film Hotel Rwanda and won a SAFTA for his performance in the film Riding with Sugar. That was the movie that solidified his presence in the acting world. He produced and starred in Man on Ground, for which he received two Africa Movie Academy Award nominations.

He also acted in these Nollywood movies: Inale (2010), Last Flight to Abuja (2012) and an appearance in Half of a Yellow Sun. These are projects that cemented his bona fides with Nigerian audiences.

His Hollywood movies are:

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (Captain Jocard), X-Men Origins: Wolverine, FOX’s 24 and STARZ’s Black Sails. 

This man is a good example because he worked in Nigeria and abroad, proving that the international success of Nigerian actors can be sustained, not just a lucky break.

2. Genevieve Nnaji

Genevieve is a Nollywood icon whose pivot to producing and directing has grown into global recognition and selective acting in high-profile foreign projects. Genevieve Nnaji has starred in one major Hollywood film, the 2018 drama Farming, which features a multinational cast that includes Hollywood actors such as Kate Beckinsale and Gugu Mbatha-Raw. She also directed and starred in her first feature film, Lionheart, which was acquired by Netflix in 2018 and is considered a Nigerian film with international appeal. 

Starring in Half of a Yellow Sun also gave her an international appeal. To top it all, she won Best Supporting Actress in that movie, demonstrating that she had nailed the role she played.

3. Jim Iyke

James Ikechukwu Esomugha, popularly known as Jim Iyke, is a Nigerian actor and one of the stars of the movie Last Flight to Abuja. He has been a household name in the Nollywood industry, known for his portrayal of the “bad guy” personality, and has starred in many Nigerian movies.

He acted in the foreign movie “And Then There Was You” (2013), an American indie romance starring Garcelle Beauvais and Lynn Whitfield. This was publicly positioned as his Hollywood debut. 

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4. Zainab Balogun

Zainab Balogun-Nwachukwu is a Nigerian actress, model, and television presenter. She began modelling at an early age after being scouted at 16. Several international campaigns for various brands have featured her. She is a British-Nigerian multi-hyphenate who toggles between leading roles in Nigerian films and cameos in major Western titles. Her career began with Premier Models Management as a fashion model before transitioning into acting, notably in BBC One’s drama Material Girl, marking a pivotal moment on the set of The Dark Knight Rises.

Since then, Zainab has amassed remarkable credits as a lead actor in esteemed film selections, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, TIFF, and BFI, such as Sylvia, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel, and Walking with Shadows.

Zainab’s journey is a neat demonstration that “foreign markets” isn’t just America but also Europe and India.

5. O.C. Ukeje

Okechukwu Ukeje is a consistent Nollywood lead with a track record in international co–productions (UK/US/Nigeria) that widened his market. He came into prominence after winning the Amstel Malta Box Office (AMBO) reality show. Confusion Na Wa, When Love Happens, The Arbitration and Half of a Yellow Sun, the UK-Nigeria literary adaptation that played worldwide, are Nollywood movies he has acted in

Nigerian-American crossovers, such as Black November (starring Kim Basinger, Mickey Rourke, and Anne Heche), and UK-backed projects demonstrate that he has taken a non-Hollywood route to global screens. 

 

What’s Driving the Global Breakouts 

• Streamers

When Nollywood films hit Netflix (e.g., The Royal Hibiscus Hotel is available on Netflix, and Lionheart is a Netflix Original), more overseas casting teams naturally discover actors from Nigeria, with no extra marketing needed. That discovery loop is a significant reason we’re seeing steady international success for Nigerian actors, instead of one-off spikes. 

• Co-productions keep opening doors.

Titles like Black November (Nigeria–U.S.) mix Nollywood and Hollywood casts, share production resources, and create joint PR cycles. These credits are easy for agents to pitch abroad because they already include familiar American names. Netflix and Prime Video have put Nigerian stories and faces on homepages worldwide. Films like “Last Flight to Abuja,” finding new life on Netflix, and local originals breaking out mean foreign casting directors now encounter Nigerian talent by default, not by chance. 

• Awards and festivals lift visibility.

Farming’s winning the Michael Powell Award at Edinburgh helped its Nigerian talents (including Genevieve Nnaji) travel to the international press. 

Hakeem Kae-Kazim’s SAFTA win for Riding with Sugar is regional, but it still serves as a strong credential for “awards” in bios and press kits. This is part of Nollywood actors gaining momentum in global awards.

• Diaspora links matter

Many Nigerian actors live, train, or work in Lagos, London, and Toronto. That makes paperwork, accents, and set culture easier to navigate and keeps them visible to casting teams in multiple markets (e.g., Zainab Balogun’s early UK/Bollywood features before leading Nollywood titles).

 

Conclusion: Nollywood Actors Gaining Global Awards.

Suppose the 2010s were about proving Nollywood could be globally visible. In that case, the first half of the 2020s focuses on sustained participation, marked by recurring TV roles, repeat co-production slots, festival wins, and steady representation in the U.S. and UK. The examples above demonstrate that Nigerian actors in Hollywood and other markets can develop their careers gradually, supported by verified Nollywood work. That’s the virtuous circle behind the international success of Nigerian actors and the reason 2025 won’t be a blip but another step up. 

FAQs

1: Who are the most visible Nigerian actors in Hollywood today?

Among Nollywood-rooted actors, Hakeem Kae-Kazim stands out for blockbuster credits (Pirates of the Caribbean, X-Men) plus Nollywood hits; others are building via U.S./UK indies and co-productions (e.g., Jim Iyke’s And Then There Was You and Genevieve Nnaji in Farming). 

2: Do Nollywood actors in foreign movies always aim for the U.S.?

No. The term “foreign” often refers to markets such as the UK, which includes literary adaptations like Half of a Yellow Sun; South Africa, known for awards like the SAFTA; or even Bollywood, exemplified by Zainab Balogun’s cameo in Cocktail. Each market builds different muscles and relationships. 

3: What counts as Nollywood actors gaining global awards?

Festival wins (e.g., Farming’s Michael Powell Award), regional industry prizes (e.g., Kae-Kazim’s SAFTA), and significant international award discourse (e.g., Lionheart and the Oscars conversation) all raise actor visibility.