09/06/2026
Yoruba Bought TV to Africa 🌍 through their Art influences.. I Started Acting Before Nollywood Was Created — Pete Edochie
Veteran Nigerian actor Pete Edochie has reflected on his decades-long acting career, saying he began performing long before the birth of Nollywood.
According to Edochie, his journey into acting dates back to 1962, when he appeared in a production of William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice at just 15 years old.
“I started acting before Nollywood was created in 1992. My first appearance was in The Merchant of Venice in 1962, when I was only 15,” Edochie said.
The legendary actor also spoke about the international attention his work has attracted over the years, claiming that one of his film performances was so remarkable that foreign journalists travelled to Nigeria specifically to interview him.
“I’m the only person who has done a film that made white people fly into Nigeria just to interview me. Nobody has achieved that,” he added.
Edochie, regarded as one of the most recognisable figures in Nigerian cinema, has enjoyed a career spanning several decades and remains widely known for his commanding screen presence and memorable performances.
