On December 22, 2022, Tinsel, the longest-running and most popular drama series in Africa, broadcast its 3500th episode on the networks Africa Magic Showcase, Urban, and Family. The drama series, which has been on the air for 14 years and 15 seasons, has become famous for launching the careers of many new Nollywood stars and hosting veterans like Femi Branch, Taiwo Ajai-Lycett, Bimbo Manuel, Jide Kosoko, and more.
However, we’ll take a quick look at some of the most prominent names that have appeared on Tinsel at different times, especially many you didn’t know ever featured on the show.
- Timini Egbuson:
Nollywood superstar Timini started his acting career on Tinsel’s set as Dozie. He got the role in 2012 and immediately fell in love with acting. In an interview, he described how he got on the prestigious series. He shared, “It was important for me to go to an audition where only talent mattered, so I went for Tinsel’s audition. There were like 5,000 people, and I wowed the judges.” Timini has appeared in several other projects like ‘Shuga’ and ‘Elevator Baby’, which won him the 2020 AMVCA award for Best Actor in a Drama. He also won the 2021 NET Honours award for Best Actor.
- Kemi Lala Akindoju:
Like Timini, Kemi first appeared in a film on ‘Tinsel’ as Sheila Monroe in 2010. Before the role, the actress had only featured in stage plays. She shared in an interview, “However, my first major movie role was in Tinsel in 2010. Before that, I did only stage plays for five years”. Since 2010, Kemi has soon become one of Nigeria’s most sought-after actresses, appearing in projects like ‘The CEO’, ‘Fifty’, and ‘Smart Money Woman’. In 2016, she took home the highly-coveted AMVCA trailblazer award.
- Uti Nwachukwu:
Popular media personality and Big Brother Africa winner, Uti also once took on a role on Tinsel playing ‘Marcus’. The actor has continued to appear in other movies since he first played Marcus. He recently featured in the remake of ‘Aki and Pawpaw’ and was in ‘Chief Daddy’ in 2018.
- Mary Lazarus:
Mary Lazarus ventured into Nollywood with the help of Gbenro Ajibade in 2009. She would later become his co-actor on the set of Tinsel as Prudence. Since leaving the show, the actress has been featured in over 50 movies and started her production company, M-Laz Productions. Under the outfit, she has produced 15 films, including ‘Dance to my beat’, ‘Social media 101’, ‘Size 12’, ‘The Bond’, ‘Lifting the Veil’, and ‘Fated to Love’.
- Segun Arinze:
Veteran actor Segun Arinze also featured on Tinsel as Majek in 2014. His role on the show caused quite a stir as he acted with his ex-wife Anne Njemanze for the first time after their divorce. Segun Arinze has continued to grow his career since he was on the longest-running series. In recent years, he has appeared in films like ‘Who is The Boss’, ‘Tatu’ and ‘Oloture’.
- Majid Michel:
On February 19, 2013, Majid guest-starred on Tinsel as himself. He was excited about the opportunity to appear in the series and took to social media. He shared, “I made up my mind to extend myself to film projects that improve our movie-making prospects within the continent. I believe that this can also inspire young actors to come behind me. Tinsel is a typical reflection of that, after all. It’s one of the most successful soaps out of Nigeria.”
- Nancy Isime:
One of the first significant film appearances Nancy Isime made was on Tinsel, playing the role of Serena. She has since established herself as a force to be reckoned with in Nollywood, giving a brilliant performance on ‘Blood Sisters’. Earlier this year, she bagged two nominations at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) for ‘Best Actress in A Comedy’ for her role in ‘Kambili: The Whole 30 Yards’ and ‘Best Actress in A Drama’ for her role in ‘Superstar’.
- Yul Edochie:
Yul is another actor who was genuinely excited to have appeared, albeit for a stint on the Africa Magic show, Tinsel. In 2016, after filming with the cast, the actor took to Facebook to praise long-time cast member Funlola Aofiyebi-Raimi. He said, “filming Tinsel yesterday with Funlola Aofiyebi-Raimi. A professional to the core.”
- Stan Nze:
Stan Nze played the role of Ohanaku on Tinsel, a character he describes as an unserious guy. Today, Stan Nze is one of Nollywood’s leading men, taking on projects like the remake of ‘Rattlesnake’, which earned him the award for ‘Best Actor in a Drama Series’ at the 2022 AMVCAs. He also featured on ‘Brotherhood’, ‘Charge and Bail’, and ‘The Set Up 2’.
- Richard Mofe-Damijo (RMD):
As part of the celebrations for hitting the 500th episode milestone, RMD joined the cast of Tinsel in 2011. It was a big deal as the actor had been on a hiatus before his appearance on the show. At the time, he was the Commissioner for Commerce & Tourism in Delta State. Since his time on the show, the veteran has only continued to grow upwards with his career, taking on lead roles in films like ‘The Wedding party’ alongside former Tinsel co-star Ireti Doyle.
- Kunle Remi:
Social media star and award-winning actor Kunle Remi played the role of Zane on ‘Tinsel’ from 2016 to 2017. Since appearing on the show, the actor has continued to grow in his craft and is now one of Nollywood’s most-loved acts. He has appeared in productions like ‘Anikulapo’, ‘Gold Statue’, ‘A Naija Christmas’, ‘Prophetess’ and more.
- Beverly Naya:
Award-winning actress and producer Beverly joined the Tinsel cast in 2013, playing the role of Yaya. The character was a privileged, feisty, and seductive lady who tried anything she wanted and saw no danger signs in life. Speaking about playing ‘Yaya’ in an interview with Bella Naija, she said, “I was delighted when I got the role. Yaya is a fantastic character to play. So far, it has been a lovely journey working with the Tinsel cast and crew. They’re very welcoming and professional. I’m also happy that people in Nigeria and Africa can now watch me. That’s a beautiful blessing.”
Watch Tinsel every weekday from 7:30 pm on Africa Magic Showcase (DStv ch. 151) and Family (DStv ch. 154 and GOtv ch. 2).
