Actor Kanayo O Kanayo has launched a YouTube channel where he says good stories will be told without relying on “fine faces.”
The 63-year-old on Instagram on Monday criticised the industry for 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,” he said.
Kanayo added: “What happened years ago, when some sponsors killed the careers of talented actors whom they believed could not sell films, is beginning to rear its ugly head. The acclaimed YouTube faces are beginning to bring up the same thing: killing the talent in 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 create stories or encourage new actors to come into the business if it’s only the self-acclaimed faces on YouTube? It’s not good for the industry.”
Encouraging new actors, the Living in Bondage star said: “If you are a new face, let’s create magic on the Kanayo O Kanayo TV on YouTube.”
Born Anayo Modestus Onyekwere in 1962, Kanayo has featured in more than 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 Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR).
Kanayo now joins the likes of Ruth Kadiri, Omoni Oboli and Funke Akindele who have also launched successful YouTube channels to share their films and connect directly with fans.
