Quite a number of perks come with being a movie star in this part of the world. They include designer clothes, luxury cars and posh apartments. Apart from their penchant for such status symbols, today’s Nollywood actors and actresses are also seen as role models, especially to the young and impressionable who dream of becoming stars some day.

But, judging by the results of a recent investigation conducted by Saturday Beats, it appears all that glitters is not gold, after all.

Contrary to popular opinion, the life of the average Yoruba movie star is that of constant ‘suffering and smiling’.

In spite of the fabulous profiles and immense goodwill enjoyed by some of these celebrated screen gods and goddesses, the contents of their bank accounts are really nothing to be cheerful about.

Even the ‘alarming’ increase in the volume of home video films produced in Yoruba language ought to be sufficient to improve the bank balances of such celebrities. To make matters worse, many of them suffer from a financial disease known as ‘Withdrawal Symptom.’ In fact, it is no longer news that a good number are regular visitors to ATMs.

“As soon as money is paid into their bank accounts, you will see them rushing to the nearest ATM to withdraw almost all the cash,” an amused banker told Saturday Beats recently.

Certainly it is difficult to believe that no reasonably successful Yoruba actor or actress has ever been paid up to N500, 000 for a lead role in any movie. Half a million seems a fantastic sum by all indications. Instead, the maximum fee payable to the best actor or actress has remained between N150k and N250k. Even many of the ‘veterans’ receive as low as N10k to appear in a film feature.

While those that are constantly in demand or have won awards in the industry, such as the likes of Funke Akindele and Odunlade Adekola, earn a maximum of N250k per feature film, the rest are left with peanuts. Interestingly, an exception to this ‘golden rule’ is Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde. Saturday Beats investigation shows that she earns between N250k and N400k.

Another ‘big earning’ actor is Adebayo Salami, aka Oga Bello. It is said that he hardly receives part payment from any producer. Usually on location, he would demand his fee of not more that N150,000 before going into action.

The same is said about Omotola who does not budge until she or her manager has confirmed that a certain amount of money has been deposited in her bank account.

However, the so-called big budget film productions have never exceeded the N3m mark despite the fact that a lot of money goes into paying the crew and cast. Money is also spent on production equipment, lights, costumes, makeups, transport, food, accommodation, generating plant sets, and other logistics/incidental expenses. That is also why most of the cast and crew are grateful when the filmmaker or marketer, who bankrolls the production, is able to hand them paltry sums of money.

“You can count on your fingers the number of individuals involved in the production who respectively got paid less than N50,000,” a production hand says.

Also included in the budget are the editing suite staff, copies of empty VCDs to be dubbed, posters and film jackets to be printed, marketing and distribution.

Now we know why most of the highly paid or underpaid actors/ actresses are writing their own movie scripts and directing or producing their own movie projects, as well as saturating the market with volumes of half-baked home videos every week.

Bukky Wright was the highest paid actress in the Yoruba language genre before Funke Akindele broke her N150,000 per featured film record with Jenifa.

Omilade Babatunde, aka Baba Suwe, used to be the highest paid aactor until the much younger Odunlade Adekola, aka Cause Trouble, began to earn up to N250k per feature film. The other notable figures? Well, they are trying hard to catch up with Omotola, Funke and Odunlade.

Omotola, Adebayo Salami, Funke Akindele, Bukky Wright and Odunlade Adekola were unavailable for comment.

But prolific film producer, Kunle Afolayan, said, “I really don’t know how much they earn now because I’ve since moved on to other major things.”

Top actress, Lizzy Anjorin, found it hard to answer the question.

“Ha! That’s a tough question that I don’t have a ready answer for. Fees vary from one filmmaker to another. As for me, I bill per script and I don’t appear in just about any film.”

Saturday Beats sought the view of scriptwriter/actor/filmmaker, Femi Davies.

He responded, “You can’t really get any top actor/actress that will proudly and honestly tell you this is how much he or she earns per film. But for my years in the industry, I don’t know anyone that collects half a million naira per film he or she featured in that’s not a film produced by him or her. Things can only get better.”

The story is not different in the Igbo or the Hausa language-speaking movie sector. We gathered that the actors/actresses who in real life drive fancy cars, live in their own houses, dress in the latest designer clothes, are the privileged ones who have been able to sustain and maintain their celebrity/star status by engaging in private business outside movies like car dealership, party/event planning, boutiques, supermarkets, hair dressing saloons, voice-over on radio/TV adverts, comperes at private and public functions, corporate brand endorsements.

SOURCE: http://www.punchng.com/entertainment/life-beat/shocking-earnings-of-yoruba-movie-stars/

Oboi na wah o, dts why they have to visit abuja, the senator must see the under G' nau, and our south south governor, dts why they have to carry drugs and also money laundring for politicians. Yoruba and english actor would even be earning better than their Hausa neighbours, I knw they would pay those ones with food stuff.

So no blame Baba suwe wei no gree shi!?t hin cocaine.

That sandra, abi wetin be her name wei dey strike our south south governor.

Jim Iyke wei dey do 419

All na biz' ventures.. Damn I'm goin to Hollywood.

Ok.. So, who and what is to be blamed for this poor state of the movie industry? It's still better earning something than nithing at all...

hausa movies earn so much more now the Ali nuhu,Sani Danja ,Ibro and co are all millions in there home state

I am really struggling to believe this story; a lot of them are always seen flaunting their flashy cars and houses; how do they afford those stuff then?.

Fat lie

halfcurrent: I am really struggling to believe this story; a lot of them are always seen flaunting their flashy cars and houses; how do they afford those stuff then?.

let me tel u, most of dem indulge in unholy deeds. Many of dem carry drugs, some acts as gigolo; ask RMD and chidi mokeme. And some d gals are high class prostitute. Only few of dem truly earn wel.

This is no news.

Aside from Nkem Owoh, Genevieve and to an extent Omotola...other actors earn very little.
Its even worst since the emergence of African Magic. Movies watchers would rather wait for AMagic to show the half baked movies than go to movie shops to rent or buy.

Any surprise why the so-called A list actors are dabbling into other things like music, prostituttion, drug peddling, gigolo, aristo, financial crimes, media hype and marrying rich married men.

However, those who saved a rainy day have opened small businesses for sustainance.

Until Nollywood shun politics and begin to add quality to movie production, acting and script writting...a time will come when our so-called A list actors won't be earning not more than 20k per movie.

When piracy don finish their business,how much you wan make them dey earn.

If you ask me, I think they are not doing bad even though there is a lot of room for improvement. N80k per film and u are in 5 films a month, that's N400k. And we all know some of them do as much as 10 films a month, even more.

halfcurrent: I am really struggling to believe this story; a lot of them are always seen flaunting their flashy cars and houses; how do they afford those stuff then?.

they engage in other 'means' of getting money