Veteran Nollywood actor Kanayo O. Kanayo has launched his own YouTube channel, vowing to tell powerful stories without relying on the industry’s obsession with “fine faces.”
The 63-year-old, in an Instagram post on Monday, criticized the growing trend of sidelining talented actors in favour of popular YouTube personalities, warning that such bias is “killing creativity.”
“I have decided to take my destiny into my own hands as it pertains to my channel on YouTube. I have decided to tell a good story. It doesn’t have to be with a fine face. Movie-making is not about being a fine face. It’s about being a good actor, a good performer. If you don’t like it, that’s unfortunate,” Kanayo declared.
He further lamented how “YouTube faces” are monopolizing the industry:
“Some of these guys will tell you they are not free from September 2025 till August 2026. How do we sustain the content of what you watch? How then do we create magic? How do we encourage new actors if it’s only the self-acclaimed faces on YouTube? It’s not good for the industry.”
The Living in Bondage star encouraged upcoming actors to seize the opportunity:
“If you are a new face, let’s create magic on the Kanayo O Kanayo TV on YouTube.”
Kanayo, born Anayo Modestus Onyekwere in 1962, has featured in over 100 films including Professor Johnbull, Up North, and Living in Bondage: Breaking Free. In 2006, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role and was later honoured with the national title of MFR (Member of the Order of the Federal Republic).
By starting his channel, Kanayo joins a growing list of Nollywood stars such as Ruth Kadiri, Omoni Oboli, and Funke Akindele who are using YouTube to produce films and connect directly with audiences
