Daniel K Daniel

Daniel Kanayo Daniel (born 22 May 1986) is a Nigerian television and film actor, model, voice-over artiste and events compere. He is best known for his portrayal of Bossman in the movie A Soldier's Story, for which he won the 2016 Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards (AMVCA) and the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) awards for Best Actor, which also starred Ramsey Nouah, Chidi Mokeme and Rita Dominic and the light-hearted Mummy Dearest alongside veteran Nigerian actress Liz Benson. He was one of two Nollywood actors inducted into the Academy of Motion Pictures and Science class of 2022.

Early life Daniel Kanayo Daniel was born at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, Borno State, in Northeastern Nigeria on May 22,1986.

While Daniel was a toddler, his family relocated to Lagos State in Southwest Nigeria and then to Enugu State in the southeast region of Nigeria, where he began his formal education. Daniel is of Igbo descent and is a native of Nenwe in Ani-Nri Local Government Area of Enugu State. He was brought up in a Christian home. His father, Chris Daniel was an engineer and his mother Kande Daniel is a Broadcast Journalist and former National President of Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, and currently serves as the Special Adviser to the Nigerian Minister of Power on Media Matters. He is the first of four children, one of whom is Chris Daniel Jnr (Kris'D) a musician and performing artist. and later transferred to Federal Government College Enugu in 1999 to complete his senior secondary education.

Daniel had desired to train as a pilot, having had three role model fighter pilots in his family: his foster grandfather, former Chief of Air Staff, (Late) Air Marshal Ibrahim Alfa and his three uncles – Squadron Leader John Chukwu, Air Vice-Marshal Chris Chukwu, and Shu'aibu Alfa (a civil pilot). Daniel's hopes were dashed when he was diagnosed with myopia (short sightedness) and was told it would be difficult to achieve his dream with poor eyesight.

In November 2004, Daniel's life changed for good as he lost his father in a ghastly auto crash and being the first child, he had to grow up quickly. In 2005 his family relocated to Abuja after his father’s death in Port Harcourt while his studies continued in Nnamdi Azikiwe University where he also started his modelling career. He graduated from the university in 2009 and managed his uncle’s business Twinkles Catering Service, the pioneer eatery in Gusau, Zamfara State for four months.

Career

Daniel started his modelling career while in school, doing a couple of Television commercials for Zandas Cosmetics. In 2009 when he returned to Abuja from the university, he took part in a few runway shows including the Abuja Moroccan Fashion Show. After one of the shows, Supermodel Steiner Eunice Opara, dragged a reluctant Daniel to a movie audition. The directors – Kabat Esosa Egbon and Tola Balogun were impressed by Daniel’s talent and gave him his very first acting job in the Television series All About Us. Daniel was also nominated for the Best of Nollywood Awards (BON), Revelation of the Year Category in 2014, which he won

On 5 March 2016, Daniel won the Award for Best Actor in a (Drama) at the Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards (AMVCA) 2016 edition, for his role in the Nigerian war thriller A Soldier's Story. In the same year, Daniel also won the 12th Africa Movie Academy Awards award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for the same movie.

In June 2022, he and Funke Akindele were the only Nollywood actors invited into the Academy of Motion Pictures and Science class of 2022. 2018 Zulu African Film Academy Awards Best Supporting Actor Daniel K. Daniel 2020 2020 Best of Nollywood Awards Best Actor in a Lead role – English Daniel K. Daniel

Filmography

Movie roles Year Title Role Director Notes 2010 Ladies' Men Bernard Afam Okereke Feature Film The Child Oviawe Izu Ojukwu Feature Film (Amstel Malta Box Office Produced Film) Under 1 and 2 Dave Nonso Emekaekwue Feature Film Sarah’s Choice Sub-lead Mak Kusare Feature Film (Produced by the BBC) 2012 Paint My Life/Tempest Friday Tchidi Chikere Feature Film Lions of 76 Corporal Obi Izu Ojukwu Feature Film 2013 Book of Magic Obinna Nonso Ekene-Okonkwo Feature Film Spirit Girl Obinna Nonso Ekene-Okonkwo Feature Film 2014 Matchmaker Opie Solomon McAuley Feature Film (MNet-Afriwood Production) Girl Pita Solomon McAuley Feature Film (MNet-Afriwood Production) I'm Audrey Esosa Alex Mouth Feature Film (MNet-Afriwood Production) Mummy Dearest Chijioke Chinda Willis Ikedum Feature Film (Released in 2015) Almost Perfect Major Desmond Elliot Feature Film (Yet to be released) A Long Night Jude Desmond Elliot Feature Film (Yet to be released) Same Difference Sam Ehizojie Ojeshobolo Feature Film Devil in Red Bryan Okorie Chucks-John Ejiofor Feature Film Bambitious Jerry Braide Okechukwu Oku Feature Film Fearless Lions Ebube Vincent D Anointed Feature Film Chimobi (The Only Son) Chimobi Emeka Nnakihe Feature Film 2015 Dise’s Secrets Tony Jay Franklyn Jituboh/Chris Odeh Ebonylife TV Original Film Amiable Dave Stanlee Ohikhuare Feature Film A Soldier's Story Bossman Frankie Ogar Produced by Martin Gbados Perfectly Flawed Lead Role Chris Eneng Africa Magic Original Film 2016 Schemers Sub-Lead Gbenga Salu Produced by Grace Edwin Okon For the Wrong Reasons Sub-Lead Role Elvis Chuks An Elvis Chuks Production Obsessed Lead Role Dabbie Chimere Featuring Daniella Okeke, Mercy Ima Macjoe and Jorge Blaq. The Flute Boy Lead Amaechi Ukeje Produced by Demek Movies The Brotherhood Lead Role Prince Emeka Ani A Chez Movies Production What Goes Around Lead Sadiq Sule Produced by Sadiq Sule Icheke Oku Prince Agunannya Emeka Amakeze An Igbo Language Film Awele My Love Lead Victor Okoli Produced by Kelechi Onwuchekwa Brother's Love Lead Ben Emeh An Uzo Sele Production Chidera Prince Henry Mgbemele An Igbo Language Film, Produced by Coruma Movies '76 Corporal Obi Izu Ojukwu 2017 AMVCA Film of the Year Eye of Love Chukwudinigbo Ugezu J Ugezu Produced by Trust in God Productions Oloibiri Lieutenant Yisa Curtis Graham Produced by Rogers Ofime 2017 Saved by Love Ezinne Ifeanyi Azodoh Produced by Great Films A Day OutsideLead Ilochi Olisaemeka Produced by Happy Julian Heavy in the Game Lead Evans Osigwe Produced by Evans Osigwe Scorned Bosun Tokunbo Ahmed/Asurf Oluseyi Produced by Tokunbo Ahmed and Chris Martin Broken Reed Lead Kabat Esosa Egbon Produced by Daniel Imasuen The Guardian Smoke Kabat Esosa Egbon A Divine Images Production Black Widow Jide Chibuike Ike Produced by Chibuike Ike Hell or High Water Sub-Lead Asurf Oluseyi A TIERS Production 2018 Mummy Dearest 2 Lead Willis Ikedum Talking Dolls Lead Sukie Oduwole Produced by Marc Adebesin After Dark Sub-Lead Chris Eneaji IrokoTV Low Lifes and High hopes Sub-Lead Bright Osafamwen A Frankie Ogar Production Lagos Landing Richard Theo Okpa Feature film Paradise Kraft Daniel Oriahi Produced by Ijeoma Grace Agu 2019 The Wedding Gown Lead Edward Uka Produced by UcheNnanna The Fugitive Lead Andy Boyo The Oblivion Lead Ndave Njoku Produced by Colette Nwadike The Clash Lead Goodnews Isika An IrokoTV Production Let Karma Lead Biodun Stephen Produced by Aisha Mohammed Why Not Maxwell Paul Apel Produced by Defo Productions. 2020 Akpe Sub-Lead Toka Mcbarbor Produced by Ushbebe A Soldier's Story 2 - Return from the Dead Lead role as Bossman Frankie Ogar Feature film Easy Money Chief Fernández Daniel Oriahi Feature film by Red Carpet Films 2021 The Greener Pastures Lead Saint Stephen Pitees Feature film 2022 The Drone that Saved Christmas Prime Minister of Senegal Miriam Bavly Feature film by Breakout Music

Television roles

Year Title Role Director Notes 2010 My Treasure Lead Livinus Otteh TV series 2011 Away from Home Lead Wonder Obasi TV series 2013 Car Hire Kola Sweeny Frankie Ogar EbonyLife TV Series 2015 Pulse William Paul Igwe TV series 2016 How to Die in an African Home Papa Daniel K Daniel Web Series featuring Etinosa Idemudia 2017 Professor John Bull Guest Star Tchidi Chikere TV series (produced by Globacom) 2017 Tinsel Guest Star Africa Magic Series TV series 2022 Diiche Nnamdi Nwokeji James Omokwe TV series