Introduction
In the glamorous world of Nollywood, looking good isn't just about red-carpet moments and appearances.
For some of the industry’s top divas, staying in shape is a crucial part of their craft.
Whether it is getting ready for an action-packed role or just maintaining their health, these Nollywood stars are dedicated to their fitness routines.
In this article, we'll spotlight some of the most fitness-focused actresses in the business, giving you a glimpse into the hard work and sweat that goes into keeping up with their demanding roles.
Let’s dive in and meet the divas who take their workouts as seriously as their scripts!
Meet the Divas
Now let us meet five of these Nollywood fit actresses, if for any reason we skipped any name, ensure you drop the name that wasn't mentioned in the comments section.
Kate Henshaw
A brief background:
Kate Henshaw is a Nollywood veteran who burst into the scenes in the early days of the industry, she made her acting debut in the movie When the Sun Sets.
She has appeared in so many movie productions, and even to this day she is one of the most sought-after Nigerian actresses.
Fitness Journey:
Her foray into fitness resulted from personal strife after a troubling breakup with her ex-husband. According to her-
“It was just 15 years ago, and I just decided to start exercising, but I was in a bad place personally. So I found exercising,”
With a very rich and exquisite filmography, but let’s mention a few of her most recent works- The Women (2018) as Ene Enweuzo, Chief Daddy (2018) as Teni Beecroft, New Money as Fatima Odumosu, 4th Republic (2019) as Mabel King, Blood Sisters (2022) as Uduak Ademola, Kofa (2022) as Kate Mshelia.
Specific roles where their fitness was essential:
Looking fit for Kate is all about looking good, it was never about fitting into any role specifically.
But if there was any role we could say looking fit truly looked good on her, we could say the 2019 crime thriller The Ghost and the House of Truth, where she was cast as Inspector Folashade.
Workout routines or fitness regimes:
Understanding that small efforts compound over time, Kate performs high-intensity workouts like weightlifting, deadlifts, and cardio.
She also enjoys taking things slow and playful, as seen in her dance and choreography routines.
Other exercises include calisthenics, dumbbell exercises, and ab exercises like crunches, burpees, push-ups, twists, and squats
At 53, this Nollywood diva looks stunning, with a banging body that makes her alluring, I mean you’d be dazed when she reveals her abs, beautiful glutes, and a smile that makes you scream sweet 16 all over again.
Go, Aunty Kate!
Nancy Isime
A brief background.
Always being on TV as a Presenter cum compere, meant you are expected to always look fit and fab.
Now crossing over to the movies added to the pressure, but Nancy has proven that she can work under pressure and still come out looking smoking hot!
Nancy is one of the biggest acts currently in today’s Nollywood, and the array of big-budget cinema productions she’s been involved in makes this assertion true.
Movies like- A Trip to Jamaica (2016), Merry Men: The Real Yoruba Demons (2018), Living in Bondage: Breaking Free (2019), Blood Sisters (2022), Shanty Town (2023), etc.
Fitness Journey
Nancy has been inundated with the question of why she works out daily, coming on the heels of the allegations that she underwent a BBL surgery to prop up her backside, as many were speculating that the size has disproportionately increased.
To stave off all these side talks, Nancy took out time and dropped quite a lengthy response on why she exercises, below is a brief cut-out from the original text, hear her:
“My backyard is easily one of my favorite parts of my house, can you tell why? People often ask me why I workout everyday (minimum of 5 days a week), Lol, like why I take care of myself daily? The real question my dear is, why do you neglect yourself?”
Specific roles where their fitness was essential:
Nancy has appeared in some high-octane and adrenalin-pumping movie scenes where her fitness was duly tested.
Chiefly is her portrayal of the character Kemi in Blood Sister (2022), recalling the fight scene involving her and Ramsey Noah.
Again, her soon-to-be-released movie Three Working Days caused some furor, especially a scene where she was seen brandishing weapons garbed in a niqab
Now this particular role required some level of fitness, therefore a character with the ability to fulfill the physical requirements was needed for a smooth depiction.
Workout routines or fitness regimes:
Nancy’s workout routines mostly include cardio, lightweight lifts, dumbbell crunches, and glute exercises like squats, hip thrusts, glute bridges, and kicks.
She also incorporates weight training, as she is often seen pushing and tumbling huge tires and other heavy objects.
It’s always a spectacle watching this Nollywood diva break a sweat in her gym attire.
Nancy Isime is one of the few Nollywood celebs with well-planned and intentional fitness goals, she needs to be commended, so like Aunty Kate, we say thatta girl just Make that booty do the Yoga!
Seleye Fubara
A brief background:
First of all, we wish a belated Happy Birthday to the actress who added another year to her tally on the 8th of August, Happy Birthday diva.
Back to the business of the day, Seleye is one of the most underrated stars in the industry, yet this actress is nothing but amazing.
Adding to her plethora of things amazing is her love for fitness, a passion that has kept her fit and fabulous.
The actress has appeared in movies like is Swapped Fate (2023), Sweet Melony (2020) Memory Lane (2020), and a host of others.
Fitness Journey:
A self-styled “gym rat”, Seleye moved to Lagos from PH to continue with her acting career.
On how her fitness journey began remains vague, however, we believe it has been a passion that goes way back even when she was an aspiring actress in Port Harcourt.
Specific roles where their fitness was essential:
We can't truly pinpoint any role, but being a fit actress has helped her navigate seamlessly through the labyrinth and ambiguity that comes with being a Nollywood actress.
Workout routines or fitness regimes:
Her main workout comprises cardio and strength training, which she accomplishes through boxing. Her routine involves bench pressing, squats, weightlifting, etc.
Seleye is blessed with a stunning body, an excellent hourglass shape, well-shaped glutes, and legs that stylishly carry the rest of her body.
Again we say keep burning those calories girl!
Chy Nwakanma
A brief background:
It was a choice between being an actress or a certified sprinter.
Chiagoziem Ugoeze Nwakanma AKA Chy Nwakanma, chose the former, making her Nollywood and screen debut in the TV series- This is It (2016), after she came back from the United States where she lived since she was Eleven.
The University of Illinois at Chicago Theatre Performance and a minor in Communication graduate has appeared in mostly theatre and Television productions like:
- Hustle" on African Magic (Mnet) as Lisa, as well as the Ebonylife TV series Life 101 where was cast as the character June / Jules.
Fitness Journey:
As I posited earlier, Chy was posed with two choices, hear her
I was a sprinter in high school (55m,100m and 200m dash / relays) I had to choose either going for trainings or Acting auditions / rehearsals. I couldn’t do both so I chose Acting
Specific roles where their fitness was essential:
Fitness is like second nature to this Nollywood diva, she’d assert “The goal isn’t just to look good but also to age strong. To be more and to do more 💪🏾”.
However, being fit made her a natural fit for all the roles she has depicted thus far.
Workout routines or fitness regimes:
As a former sprinter, Chy’s main routine is cardio which includes running, biking, and running on the treadmill.
She also incorporates weight training, along with other routines like burpees, squats, and strength training exercises such as hoisting battle ropes and tumbling tires.
Chy Nwakanma is one helluva fitness freak, and I daresay she is the most hardcore of them all.
Creating a list of the fittest celebs in Nigeria without having this Nollywood screen queen delisted is a misnomer.
Sharon Ooja
A brief background:
After what looked like a fairytale Cinderella-type wedding, the Oloture the Journey NETFLIX series act went back to the gym to burn out those unnecessary carbs gained after the carousing.
Sharon Ooja made her humble screen debut in the television series Gidi Up (2013-2014).
She has also appeared in Oloture: The Journey (2024), Flawsome (2022-present), The Men's Club (2018-20), Skinny Girl in Transit (2016-current), and a very long list of movies and TV appearances we can’t list here.
Fitness Journey:
With the proliferation of body enhancement surgery, the list of actresses or female celebs who have either enhanced their bust or backside is endless.
Sharon believes in going strictly all natural, making her one of the few Nollywood celebs whose fitness goals require only exercise and the right diet.
A proud feat she brags about:
“Team natural body all day. I’m for realistic beauty standards. We build in the gym.”
Specific roles where their fitness was essential:
In the 2024 NETFLIX series Oloture: The Journey where she played an undercover journalist investigating human trafficking, Sharon submits that she went through emotional stress as a result of the weightiness of the role.
“In terms of weight loss, I lost about 3kg for the movie. When I first got on set, I was about 65kg. I was extremely well fed, but I still lost a lot of weight because I don’t do well with emotional stress, and the character was emotionally draining,”
Workout routines or fitness regimes:
Her Fitness routine involves deadlifts, glute training exercises, weight training, etc.
Conclusion:
For these Nollywood stars, fitness is more than just a routine—it's a key part of their success.
Their dedication to staying in shape not only helps them excel in demanding roles but also inspires fans to pursue their own fitness goals.
These Nollywood fitness fanatics prove that with commitment and effort, anyone can achieve a healthier lifestyle.
So, why not take inspiration from these divas and start your own fitness journey today?
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