Stars that lit up night bus to Lagos

By this weekend, Chico Ejiro’s new movie would have clocked four weeks of its cinema run. And it has been mixed reaction from moviegoers for the movie with the signature of the long-standing filmmaker.

Described as a satisfying fare by some moviegoers who have seen it, many believe credit should go to some of the leading actors for the commendable acting in Night Bus To Lagos is, including Pete Edochie, Monalisa Chinda, Omawumi Megbele, Bolanle Ninalowo, Odunlade Adekola, Paul Obazele and Lisa Omorodion, who all gave a sharp portrayal of the respective roles.Celebrity salutes the screen actors who deserve a great deal of credit for their work.

Monalisa Chinda
DEPENDABLE actress, Monalisa Chinda, plays Lana, a top class On Air Personality (OAP) who cannot cope with the publicity of being jilted.

Lisa, as Monalisa is simply called, brings a unique touch in interpreting the role, one of the countless roles she has played in her near two decades sojourn in the industry. Blessed with a complexion that gives her out easily as a cross breed, the first of six siblings born to an Ikwere (in Rivers State) father and an Igbo mother is a theatre artiste by training and a good-looking woman by every standard.

Host of the television programme, You and I with Monalisa, Lisa achieved runaway success when even as an undergraduate at the University of Port Harcourt, she featured in the successful urban telling Pregnant Virgin. She returned to the turf weeks later to feature in another groundbreaking movie, Above the Law.

Much later, her convincing acting run earned her a place among the stars. That was when she featured in the commercially successful movie, Games Men Play. It was on the back of that star-studded movie that Lisa rode to emerge a face in every movie at a time in Nollywood.

A disarmingly humble personality, who surely knows her onions and looks sure to be counted as a cut above the rest, Lisa, who picked her roles in O.J. Productions’ Total Control and Heaven’s Gate, the crowd puller from the stable of Zulu Production, as her most memorable screen offering yet, has featured in over 100 movies, with a lot more still at various stages of production.

Omawumi Megbele
SINGER turned actress, Omawumi Megbele played the sharp talking ‘waffi’ lady, Ese, who sold her parents properties to give her heartthrob, Voke, a life. On his return from abroad, Voke dumps Ese and settles for Monica (played by Lisa Omorodion), a high-class lady who inherited her father’s wealth.

Known by her stage name Omawumi, the singer, brand ambassador and native of Warri in Delta State delivered a high-wire act in the movie and proved that she has a place in the acting divide of the entertainment industry.

But Omawumi, who has two albums to her credit (Wonder Woman and Lasso of Truth), is not having her first deal as an actress in Night Bus To Lagos, as she has featured in some stage and movie productions, including a sting in the 2009 edition of V-Monologue, the musical play Olurombi, Inale, by Jeta Amata, produced by Keke Bongos Ikwe, Funke Akindele’s 2011 comedy, Return of Jenifa and in House of Gold, by Yvonne Nelson.

Bolanle Ninalowo
HANDSOME and always well dressed, Bolanle Ninalowo plays Voke, the playboy who dumps his childhood heartthrob for a rich lady after he returned from the Europe. Bolanle played the role so well that a moviegoer suggested that he might be a playboy in real life. True, he was believable as Voke and rightly gave the movie its acting credits.

Tall and well built, Bolanle is perhaps one of the most promising actors of the last two years. Hailed by the yellow press as ‘Nollywood’s new bad boy,’ he has been cutting the swath since he returned to the industry in 2014 after taking a short break to attend to ‘other issues.’ But since he returned, he has been walking in and out of location grabbing lead and supporting roles.

Married to Bunmi, who is based in Atlanta, United States (US), in his movie pouch are movies, such as Picture Perfect, Black Men Rock, Hot Girl Next Door, Divorce Not Allowed and The alter Date.

Lisa Omorodion
AN actress and producer, Lisa Omorodion is best known for her 2013 debut movie as a producer, First Cut, directed by Chico Ejiro, where she played lead in the movie.

But in Night Bus To Lagos, the Edo State-born princess plays Monica, the last of the big and classy ladies that Voke (Bolanle Ninolowo) had a shot at. Founder and President of Platinum Studios, movies she has either produced or starred in include Schemers, The Inn, Karma Is A Bitch and Calabas by Obi Emelonye. Her other acting credits include Ikogosi, The Other Side Of The coin, Open Marriage, On A Trip and WoEman.