The National President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Emeka Rollas, has confirmed the death of Nollywood actor John Paul Odonwodo, popularly known as Junior Pope.
The late actor and three of his colleagues were returning from a movie location in a boat when they fell into the Anam River in Anambra on Wednesday, Chronicle NG reported.
Rollas took to his Instagram page on Thursday to disclose the sad development, as he wrote, “It is so sad that our joy was shortlived.
“My first post was out of excitement when we noticed his tingling fingers. Two notable hospitals tried their best to revive him, but to no avail.
“God knows the best. We finally lost him,” he said.
Junior Pope joined the Nollywood industry in 2006, attending movie auditions and acting as a minor character in films.
He usually played the roles of a bodyguard, palace attendant, and servant in movies.
In 2007, he rose to fame after acting in the Nollywood blockbuster movie “Secret Adventures,” a movie directed by Tchidi Chikere.
He acted in more than 150 Nollywood movies, which include “Secret Adventures,” “Mad Sex,” “Bitter Generation,” “Vengeance of Bullet,” “The Cat,” “The Generals,” and “Wrong Initiation,” among others.
In 2010, he won the award for Nollywood’s Most Promising Actor in Nigeria at the Entertainment Factory Awards.
He is known for playing criminal, villain, armed robber, militant, and hitman roles in movies alongside Emma Ehumadu, Sylvester Madu, Zubby Michael, Jim Iyke, Alaso Wariboko, Gentle Jack, Hanks Anuku, and Jerry Amilo.
Other awards he won include Best Actor in a Supporting Role at the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards and Best Actor of the Year at the Africa Movie Academy Awards, among others.
