OMOTOLA , CHIWETEL, IDRIS ALBA AND OTHERS NAMED AMONG 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE IN AFRICA- ART AND CULTURE

Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, Actress - Nigeria 

To her global fans, Nollywood actress Omotola Jalade Ekeinde embodies true African beauty beyond measure. But there is more to the Nigerian sex bomb popular known as Omosexy. The gorgeous actress and mother of four’s meteoric rise in 2013 – a year which saw her become the first African celebrity to reach 1 million likes on Facebook, and named as one of the most influential people in the world by Time magazine for
their annual Time 100 list. Her debut reality show, Omotola: The Real Me, made headlines as the most popular TV series across Africa. But that was not all! It fixated her millions of fans, revealing fascinating insights into one of Africa’s most recognised faces. She is also increasingly becoming a social activist in her own right, although a vocal critic of the current African political dispensation. Despite her popularity, she has no political ambitions. Yet.

Chiwetel Ejiofor, Actor - Nigeria/UK

Chiwetel Ejiofor has the lead role in two of 2013’s biggest films – 12 Years A Slave, directed by Steve McQueen, and the film adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s award-winning novel, Half of A Yellow Sun, directed by Biyi Bandele. His portrayal of former South African president Thabo Mbeki in the new Channel 4 drama Endgame was also another stellar performance. Prior to the theatre release of both films, Ejiofor won critical acclaim for his portrayal of Patrice Lumumba in A Season in The Congo, a theatre production about the first democratically elected leader of the DRCongo at The Young Vic theatre in London. Born to Nigerian parents in the UK, the award-winning actor is garnering an Oscar buzz for his mesmerising performance in 12 Years A Slave. The roles he has taken on this year prove once again what an African A-list, Oscar-deserving actor he is. Will 2014 be his year?

Idris Elba, Actor - Sierra Leone/Ghana

A much sought-after film and television actor, Elba was born in London to a Sierra Leonean father and Ghanaian mother. He has taken both Hollywood and TV acting by storm, in hits such as The Wire and Luther. But film critics believe his lead character in the recently released the film adaption of Nelson Mandela’s autobiography Long Walk To Freedom, – which has already been awarded the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Los Angeles Britannia Humanitarian Award – could be the- game changing role of his career.
See all list at New African Magazine