‘Every scene I get, I make it count’ - Akah Nnani on being an actor

Akah Nnani is an actor and TV host known for his role in the award-winning movie, Man of God and the Amazon original, She Must Be Obeyed.

In an industry where typecasting and stereotyping seem to be the norm, Nnani has managed to escape these limitations by consistently exceeding the expectations of directors and producers in every role he takes on.

In an interview with Pulse Nigeria, Nnani stressed that his journey had not been smooth, especially since he didn’t fit the typical mold of what an actor is ‘supposed’ to look like. Despite these challenges, he always kept a clear goal in mind, which guided him through every phase of his acting career.

“I started with a goal to be one of those actors that will not be typecast. Also, I know I didn’t fit into the narrative or the stereotype of how an actor should look and be like at the time. I was broke, I was skinny, but then I said to myself I need to find a way to show that I’m going to give something different from these guys and so I set out immediately to work on myself to make sure I give the best of every opportunity that I was offered,” he said

Nnani is recognized for his wit and humour evident in a variety of films including Banana Island Ghost, the Ndani TV series, Bottomline and the Amazon Original, She Must Obey. He added that his goal for every role he plays, whether big or small, is to leave a lasting impression on the audience even after they have finished watching his films.

“So, if I was going to be a houseboy in a film, you give me two scenes, I’ll steal the entire film. I must be remembered. I just knew that I had to be remembered. Every scene, I make it count,” he said.

Akah Nnani is known for his role in Man of God [Instagram/@akahnnani]

He emphasised the importance of understanding and mastering his craft.

“I started studying actors. I watch films to learn film and watch actors to learn acting and that’s how I decided I was going to be different. And so from the little roles I was taking early in my career, everybody started realizing I was an asset and someone decided to take a chance on me,” he said.

Despite not landing big opportunities initially, Nnani did not let that deter him. He explored other forms of entertainment within the industry.

“I realised feature-length films weren’t the only things available to do, so I started doing web series, theatre, short films. What theatre did for me was sharpen my talent. While I didn’t have all the big opportunities for feature film I was still working as an actor but on different projects that didn’t get all the spotlight that feature films get,” he added

Nnani also stated that some producers are beginning to see value in the actors.

“Producers have come to realise and notice talents. It was tough and I said a lot of No’s because some of these were not projects that would put me in the best light but, even now, sometimes, I still have those doubts; am I making the right decision? Is that the right call? Getting recognised encourages me. I think some producers are beginning to see actors. And that’s a good thing,” he concluded.