Nollywood actor Ray Emordi has announced his return to acting just months after stepping away from the movie industry to pursue a full-time music career.
The actor, who revealed his decision to leave Nollywood earlier this year, said he has 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 Am Sorry.”
Actor explains reason for return
The actor said his decision to return followed months away from film sets, a period he described as necessary to rest after years of an extremely demanding work schedule.
According to him, he had appeared in about 300 productions, including feature films, television series and short films, between 2017 and the end of 2025.
He admitted that working continuously for eight years without taking proper vacations left him physically and mentally exhausted.
“I stopped acting because I was tired,” he said.
“Imagine acting from 2017 till the end of last year, about 300 productions. Eight years without vacations. If you do something 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.
The actor acknowledged that he was responsible for taking on too many projects and failing to properly manage his workload.
He explained that the experience taught him the importance of balancing work with rest to avoid burnout.
Emordi, who holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and later obtained a master’s degree in Acting, said he intends to become more selective about the projects he accepts in the future.
He also apologised to fans who stood by him throughout his acting career and assured them that his approach to work would be different this time.
According to him, he would only accept enough acting jobs to keep him creatively fulfilled without becoming overwhelmed.
Before announcing his departure from Nollywood in February, Emordi had intensified efforts to establish himself as a recording artiste.
Over the years, he released several Afrobeats and Afro-fusion songs, including My Lane, Alone, Overdose and Attention, while promoting his music on streaming platforms and social media.
Although his music career did not develop as he had hoped, he maintained that music has always been his first love.
Speaking earlier this year, the actor explained that acting became his public identity first, 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.
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 prominence 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 leading YouTube studios helped establish him as one of Nollywood’s recognisable young actors.
Emordi stressed that his return to acting is not driven by financial considerations but by his desire to make meaningful films.
“My general theme for acting is not to make money but to leave a positive impact. I want to leave a positive footprint in the world before I go,” he said.
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