Veteran Nollywood actor Kanayo O. Kanayo believes that succeeding in the Nigerian film industry demands hard work, energy, and dedication.

Speaking on the Honest Bunch podcast, Kanayo asserted that he works harder than Hollywood star Denzel Washington.

Kanayo compared his roles to those of Hollywood actors like Arnold Schwarzenegger, saying that challenging roles don’t make bad actors.

He emphasized that Nollywood actors, including himself, put in significant effort to create quality films.

“If Denzel Washington put in the number of hours I do, his color would turn to charcoal the next day,” Kanayo remarked, highlighting the intense workload in Nollywood.

He also recalled how Americans from New York studied Nollywood in 1992 and were amazed by the effort and skill involved. According to Kanayo, these Americans coined the term “Nollywood” after observing the dedication of Nigerian filmmakers.

“They saw our zeal and hard work,” Kanayo said, underscoring the commitment required to thrive in Nollywood.