Now showing
Survival of Jelili
2019Actor · Director
The hapless Jelili returns, now trying to survive Lagos with a new scheme every day and a knack for making every one of them worse. A Yoruba-language comedy sequel produced by and starring Femi Adebayo, directed by Desmond Elliot, that reached Netflix in July 2020.
With Femi Adebayo, Toyin Abraham, Dele Odule, Mercy Aigbe
Now showing
In cinemas and coming soon
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Featured
Three's a Match
2025 · Director
Survival of Jelili
2019 · Actor · Director
Apaye: A Mother's Love
2014 · Director
1 nomination
Finding Mercy
2013 · Actor · Director · Producer
1 award
Lies Men Tell
2013 · Actor
1 award
Weekend Getaway
2012 · Director
Kiss and Tell
2011 · Actor · Director
1 award
Bursting Out
2010 · Actor · Director
19 titles
Directed by Desmond Elliot
Three's a Match
2025 · Director
In Safe Hands
2025 · Director
Ill Fated
2024 · Director
Teni's Big Day
2023 · Director
March 17th
2022 · Director
Survival of Jelili
2019 · Actor · Director
Disguise
2018 · Director
Hire a Man
2017 · Director
Reflections
2015 · Director
1 award
Apaye: A Mother's Love
2014 · Director
1 nomination
Kamara's Tree
2013 · Director · Producer
Finding Mercy
2013 · Actor · Director · Producer
1 award
Lagos Cougars
2013 · Director
Weekend Getaway
2012 · Director
In the Cupboard
2011 · Director · Producer
Kiss and Tell
2011 · Actor · Director
1 award
Bursting Out
2010 · Actor · Director
Holding Hope
2010 · Actor · Director · Producer
Guilty Pleasures
2009 · Actor · Director
16 titles
Starring Desmond Elliot
Untitled Ibrahim Chatta project
2026 · Actor
The Wager
2024 · Actor
Survival of Jelili
2019 · Actor · Director
Esohe
2017 · Actor
The Department
2015 · Actor
30 Days in Atlanta
2014 · Actor
Finding Mercy
2013 · Actor · Director · Producer
1 award
Lies Men Tell
2013 · Actor
1 award
Kiss and Tell
2011 · Actor · Director
1 award
Bursting Out
2010 · Actor · Director
Holding Hope
2010 · Actor · Director · Producer
Reloaded
2009 · Actor
Guilty Pleasures
2009 · Actor · Director
Yahoo Millionaire
2007 · Actor
Men Who Cheat
2006 · Actor
Behind Closed Doors
2005 · Actor
1 nomination
Recognised work
Award winners and nominees
Now playing
Watch the trailers
In Safe Hands
2025 · Director
Teni's Big Day
2023 · Director
Survival of Jelili
2019 · Actor · Director
Hire a Man
2017 · Director
Esohe
2017 · Actor
Reflections
2015 · Director
1 award
Apaye: A Mother's Love
2014 · Director
1 nomination
30 Days in Atlanta
2014 · Actor
Kamara's Tree
2013 · Director · Producer
Finding Mercy
2013 · Actor · Director · Producer
1 award
Lies Men Tell
2013 · Actor
1 award
Lagos Cougars
2013 · Director
Weekend Getaway
2012 · Director
In the Cupboard
2011 · Director · Producer
Kiss and Tell
2011 · Actor · Director
1 award
Bursting Out
2010 · Actor · Director
Holding Hope
2010 · Actor · Director · Producer
Reloaded
2009 · Actor
Guilty Pleasures
2009 · Actor · Director
His own company
Produced by Denziot Productions
With Emem Isong
The Royal Arts Academy years
Newest first
Latest releases
Untitled Ibrahim Chatta project
2026 · Actor
Three's a Match
2025 · Director
In Safe Hands
2025 · Director
Ill Fated
2024 · Director
The Wager
2024 · Actor
Teni's Big Day
2023 · Director
March 17th
2022 · Director
Survival of Jelili
2019 · Actor · Director
Disguise
2018 · Director
Hire a Man
2017 · Director
The story so far
Four eras, one storyteller
1999 – 2003
The television years
He arrived on screen through the soaps that Nigerian families gathered around at the end of the nineties: Everyday People, One Too Much, Saints and Sinners and Super Story. Television taught him discipline, the long day, and how to hold a character across months rather than minutes. It also gave him a face the country already recognised when the home-video boom arrived.
A Nollywood film set. Bestvillage, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
2004 – 2008
The home-video boom
At the peak of the straight-to-video era he was appearing in twenty or more titles a year, and the public settled him into the role of the tender romantic lead alongside Ramsey Nouah, Jim Iyke and Emeka Ike. He has since said he found the 'lover boy' label limiting and fought it, but it is also what made him one of the most recognisable leading men of his generation. Behind Closed Doors earned his first AMAA nomination in 2006.
Red carpet at the Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards. MediaMOF, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
2009 – 2014
Behind the camera
Producer Emem Isong gave him his first directing credits, Guilty Pleasures and Bursting Out with Daniel Ademinokan, and the Royal Arts Academy years followed: Kiss and Tell, Weekend Getaway, Lagos Cougars, Apaye. He founded Denziot Productions with his wife Victoria, producing Holding Hope, In the Cupboard, Kamara's Tree and Finding Mercy, the film that brought him the AMVCA for Best Supporting Actor in March 2014.
On a Nollywood set, Lagos, 2012. Dakolmasiyer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
2015 – today
Directing through public office
Elected to the Lagos State House of Assembly in 2015, he never stopped making films: Reflections, Hire a Man, Disguise, Survival of Jelili (which reached Netflix in 2020), March 17th, Teni's Big Day, Ill Fated, Three's a Match and In Safe Hands. In August 2026, with his final Assembly term drawing to a close, he was back on set.
Red carpet at the Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards. MediaMOF, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The company he keeps
Frequent collaborators
Emem Isong
Producer
Produced eight of his films, including Kiss and Tell, Weekend Getaway and Apaye, and gave him his first directing credit.
Genevieve Nnaji
Actor
Bursting Out, Weekend Getaway
Nse Ikpe-Etim
Actor
Guilty Pleasures, Bursting Out, Kiss and Tell
Monalisa Chinda
Actor
Kiss and Tell, Weekend Getaway, Reloaded
Uche Jombo
Actor
Kiss and Tell, Finding Mercy, Reloaded
Ini Edo
Actor
Bursting Out, Weekend Getaway, Reloaded
Ramsey Nouah
Actor
Guilty Pleasures, Weekend Getaway, 30 Days in Atlanta
Majid Michel
Actor
Guilty Pleasures, Bursting Out
Rita Dominic
Actor
Finding Mercy
Blossom Chukwujekwu
Actor
Finding Mercy
Femi Adebayo
Producer, actor
Survival of Jelili
Toyin Abraham
Actor
Survival of Jelili
Mercy Aigbe
Actor
Survival of Jelili; the 2017 campaign for widows
Omoni Oboli
Actor
Guilty Pleasures
Ayo Makun
Producer, actor
30 Days in Atlanta
Richard Mofe-Damijo
Mentor
The actor he names first among those who shaped him; 30 Days in Atlanta
Portraits via Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons licences. Full credits.
Recognition
Film awards
2015
Best Nigerian Film
Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF)
ReflectionsWon2014
Best Supporting Actor
Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards (AMVCA)
Finding MercyWon2014
Best Supporting Actor
Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA)
Nominee2014
Best Nigerian Film
Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA)
Apaye: A Mother's LoveNominee2013
Best Actor
Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF)
Lies Men TellWon2013
Best Film Director
Nigeria Entertainment Awards (NEA)
Kiss and TellWon2012
Best Director
Nollywood Movies Awards
Nominee2012
Best Director
ZAFAA Global Awards
Nominee2010
Best Actor
Nigeria Entertainment Awards (NEA)
Nominee2009
Best Actor
Nigeria Entertainment Awards (NEA)
Nominee2006
Best Supporting Actor
Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA)
Behind Closed DoorsNominee