Months after leaving Nollywood, Ray Emordi returns

Nollywood actor Ray Emordi has announced his return to acting just months after stepping away from the film industry to pursue a full-time music career.

The actor, who revealed his decision to leave Nollywood earlier this year, said he rediscovered his passion for acting after taking a four-month break from the profession.

Emordi made the announcement in a video shared on his YouTube channel titled “Nollywood, I’m sorry.”

The actor explains the reason for the return

The actor said his decision to return came after months away from movie sets, a period he described as necessary to rest after years of an extremely demanding work schedule.

According to him, he appeared in around 300 productions, including feature films, television series and shorts, between 2017 and the end of 2025.

He admitted that working continuously for eight years without taking proper holidays left him physically and mentally exhausted.

“I stopped acting because I was tired,” he said.

“Imagine acting from 2017 until the end of last year, about 300 productions. Eight years without holidays. If you do anything too much, you naturally become exhausted.”

Emordi noted that the break helped him appreciate acting once again and reminded him why he fell in love with the profession.

Lessons from his hiatus

The actor acknowledged that he was responsible for taking on too many projects and not adequately managing his workload.

He explained that the experience taught him the importance of balancing work with rest to avoid burnout.

Emordi, who earned a bachelor’s degree in business management and later a master’s degree in acting, said he plans to become more selective about the projects he takes on in the future.

He also apologized to fans who supported him throughout his acting career and assured them that his approach to work would be different this time.

According to him, he would only take enough acting jobs to keep himself creatively fulfilled without being overwhelmed.

Music remains part of his career

Before announcing his departure from Nollywood in February, Emordi had stepped up efforts to establish himself as a recording artiste.

Over the years, he has released several Afrobeat and Afro-fusion songs, including My Lane, Alone, Overdose and Attention, promoting his music on streaming platforms and social media.

Although his musical career did not develop as he had hoped, he maintained that music was always his first love.

Speaking earlier this year, the actor explained that acting became first and foremost his public identity, while songwriting and recording remained personal forms of creative expression.

He said he hoped to build a long-term music career alongside other creative pursuits.

Balancing two careers

Despite returning to Nollywood, Emordi said he has no plans to abandon music.

Instead, he intends to pursue both careers while maintaining a healthier balance between his professional commitments.

The actor rose to fame through his performances in romantic dramas, family-themed productions, and YouTube originals.

His roles in productions such as Heaven in Mind (2018), Strength of Love (2025) and several films produced by major YouTube studios have helped him establish himself as one of Nollywood’s recognizable young actors.

Emordi stressed that his return to acting is not driven by financial considerations but by the desire to make meaningful films.

“My overall theme in acting is not to make money but to leave a positive impact. I want to leave a positive footprint in the world before I leave,” he said.