Nollywood actress, Nkechi Nweje, has died after a brief illness.

Nweje’s death was confirmed on Saturday by movie producer, Stanley Ajemba, popularly known as Stanley Ontop, via his Instagram handle.

Ajemba paid tribute to Nweje, describing her as a vibrant actress and his best friend.

He recalled their last conversation was during the Queen’s saga, where she advised him to stop.

He wrote, “Nollywood in tears as we lost one of our vibrant Nollywood actresses, @nkechi.nweje, after a brief illness.

“Couldn’t post since morning because it was like a dream to me. Ezigbo Nwanyi Onitsha.

“Rest in peace, ma’am. My best friend, she always called me on the phone, advising me. The last time we spoke was during the Queenth saga. She said, ‘Ontop, stop.’ I’m still speechless.”

Another veteran Nollywood actress, Rita Edochie, shared a candlelight with a dark background via her Instagram on Friday with the caption, “This world is really not our home.”

One actor, Asa Ikuku, also took to his Instagram handle to announce the demise of the actress.

“Rest in peace mummy Nkwechi Nweje TV(Nwanyi Onisha) You are indeed a bllessing to us. But God knows the best. We will miss u so much great nollywood actress. rest on legend,” Ikuku wrote.

Nweje is survived by her husband, Dr. Azuibuike Nweje, and six children.

She was known for her compelling performances in Nollywood, particularly in motherly roles, and built a significant legacy in the industry.

French film director Christophe Ruggia has been sentenced to a four-year jail term, two of which were suspended, after being found guilty of sexually assaulting actress Adèle Haenel when she was underage.

Ruggia, 60 will spend two years under house arrest, when he will also have to wear an electronic bracelet.

In addition to the sentence, Ruggia has been ordered to pay €15,000 (£12,500) to Haenel in compensation, as well as €20,000 for the years of psychological therapy she had as a result of the abuse.

The court president said Ruggia had “taken advantage” of his influence over Haenel, who was aged between 12 and 15 at the time of the assaults.

Ruggia’s lawyer Fanny Collin said he would appeal the sentence.

Haenel, now 35, was applauded by women’s rights activists as she left the courtroom in Paris, as had been the case during the earlier phases of the trial.

Reporters in court on Monday said she appeared nervous before the verdict but showed no reaction as Ruggia’s sentencing was read out.

Haenel alleged that Ruggia started molesting her during the shoot of his 2002 film Les Diables (The Devils) when she was 12, which he denied.

The film is an incestuous tale of a relationship between a boy and his autistic sister and features sex scenes involving the children including close-ups of Haenel’s naked body.

Before the trial, investigators had spoken to members of the film’s crew who told them of their unease at Ruggia’s behaviour on set.

A summary of the charges quoted by French media said Ruggia and Haenel continued to see each other every Saturday after the shooting of the film wrapped up, “under the guise of film lessons” during which Ruggia would touch her sexually and put his hands in her underwear.

During interviews with French media, Haenel also said she was controlled and manipulated by Ruggia when she was a child and that nobody protected her when she was “asked to do things in the name of art”.

In court last year, Ruggia denied the accusations, arguing that he had merely tried to “protect” Haenel during the early days of her fame.

Investigators had also said they had found notes on Ruggia’s computer in which he wrote about 12-year-old Haenel’s “overflowing sensuality”.

Ruggia said Haenel had been “radicalised” and that he thought he was a lightning rod for France’s #MeToo movement.

His comments eventually led Haenel to shout at him to “shut up” before storming out in the middle of the trial last December.

Haenel starred in the acclaimed 2019 film Portrait of a Lady on Fire.

The same year, she gave a lengthy and emotional interview to French outlet Mediapart in which she detailed what she called the “sexual harassment” she suffered at Ruggia’s hands.

She said she had decided to speak out about her alleged abuse after watching the documentary ‘Leaving Neverland,’ which explored the singer Michael Jackson’s relationships with children.

“It made me see I had clung for too long to the version of Ruggia, that it had all been a story of love,” she said, adding that it made her understand the mechanisms of “control and fascination”.

Haenel quit the French film industry in 2023 in protest at what she called its “complacency” towards sexual predators.

Hollywood actress, Dalyce Curry’s body has been found at her Los Angeles home amid the ongoing wildfires.

Dalyce Curry who is known for her roles in Blues Brothers and Lady Sings the Blues, tragically died at 95.

Her body was found burnt days after fire razed her Altadena property.

According to TMZ, the authorities on Sunday announced that “her remains were indeed found at the property. #RIPMOMMADEE.”

Confirming the news on her Facebook page, her granddaughter, Dalyce Kelley, said, “We had a great run. She impacted my life in so many ways. This loss is devastating.”

The Kano State Censorship Board has announced a one-year suspension of popular Kannywood actress, Samha M. Inuwa, over allegations of indecent dressing and provocative videos.

 

The board’s decision, revealed in a statement signed by its Information Officer, Abdullahi Sani Sulaiman, followed numerous complaints from the public.

 

According to the statement, the actress had been repeatedly warned about her “crude dressing, vulgar displays, and inappropriate language” in some of her videos but failed to comply with the board’s regulations.

 

As part of the disciplinary measures, the board has revoked her status and halted the censorship of any film in which she appears. The Kano State Censorship Board emphasised that it is legally mandated to ensure all creative works, including films and writings, align with the state’s religious, cultural, and moral values.

 

“This suspension is part of the board’s ongoing efforts to maintain moral standards in the Kannywood film industry and ensure strict adherence to its rules and regulations,” the statement added.