Showmax, like other streaming sites, has recently become a breeding place for talent.
For Showmax, the storyline has been one of combining top Nollywood superstars with various budding stars. These stars are rising to the surface to make their mark in the entertainment industry, and they’re doing a terrific job of it.
Since it is still the women’s season, Potpourri spotlights five rising stars: Scarlet Gomez, Ruby Okezie, Oluchi Amajuoyi, Martha Ehinome, and Uzoamaka Onuoha, who have discovered their mojos from Showmax to the limelight.
1. Scarlet Gomez
If you aren’t familiar with her part as ‘Fadekemi’ in the Africa Magic TV series My Flatmates, you could recognize her as the “Iron Lady,” whose burning ambition is far from her bucolic career as a homemaker in Showmax’s Wura. Scarlet Gomez received even more praise when she was nominated for Best Actress for her work in the Showmax original at the 2023 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards.
The professional lawyer and actor is currently enthralling audiences on season 2 of Wura, which is available on Showmax, reminding us of her acting prowess, which has reinforced her place as one of those characters we love and hate.
2. Ruby Okezie
After acting in movies like Palava!, Glamour Girls, Beautiful Liar, and The Bait, and an especially remarkable performance in Far From Home, Ruby Okezie reached her full blossom yet in Showmax’s six-part courtroom drama series, Agu.
Ruby, who plays Victoria Atem, a motivated lawyer on a mission, had to binge-watch The Lincoln Lawyer to master the complexities of the law in order to fully embody her character – such is her passion.
If her performances in the legal drama and as the lead in Showmax’s Cheta M are any indication, Ruby is well on her way to becoming a true screen jewel. It’s not surprising: she once stated in a BellaNaija interview that she wants to “become one of the most sought-after actresses in Nollywood and Hollywood”.
3. Oluchi Amajuoyi
Oluchi Amajuoyi is in her most prominent role in Nollywood yet, playing Adanna, the primary character in Showmax’s epic series Cheta M. Oluchi’s performance of Adanna is nothing short of outstanding, despite her little film experience, which includes Ordinary Fellows and Living With You. She nailed the courage required of a protagonist who is the eldest daughter of a council member, as well as the innocence and naivety befitting a Mgberi woman endowed with the gift of foresight and extraordinary beauty.
4. Martha Ehinome
Martha Ehinome is a theatrically educated actor from the Department of Theatre Arts, so it’s no surprise that she’s started her career in the entertainment industry.
Martha Ehinome Orhiere is most recognized for her role as Tumininu “Tumi” Kuti in Showmax’s Nigerian telenovela, Wura. She also stars as Amanda, a girl plagued by dreams in the nostalgic series The Origin: Madam Koi-Koi.
5. Uzoamaka Onuoha
Uzoamaka Onuoha’s outstanding acting skills and ability to properly portray her parts have propelled her from up-and-comer to breakout star.
The Imo-born actress has appeared in numerous films, television shows, and theater projects. She has appeared in several films, including If I Am President (2018), Ordinary Fellows (2019), Omugwo (2020), Stories by Her (2021), Visa on Arrival (2021), and Blood Sisters (2021). She also stars in Africa Magic’s latest series, Theory of Breakfast, which is presently airing on Africa Magic Showcase.
Her theater engagements include a lead in Joshua Alabi’s ‘Folly of Men’ (2019), William Benson’s ‘Emotan’ (2019), Maduegbuna Productions’ ‘Chapters’ (2020), and ‘The Decision’ (2021), which were produced at Terra Kulture in Lagos State, Nigeria.
Uzoamaka, on the other hand, landed her most significant role to date, playing the eponymous character in Showmax’s 6-part psychological thriller Diiche – a portrayal that validates her place among the generation of actors poised to change Nollywood via their diversity and sheer enthusiasm.
