Veteran Nollywood actor Segun Arinze has disclosed that his character as ‘Black Arrow’ in the famous Silent Night Movie caused a turning point in his career as an actor.
Although he had been featured in movies before acting in Silent Night, Segun Arinze recounted that he became popular after his role in the movie.
Speaking in an interview on September 10, 2025, Black Arrow, as he’s affectionately known, said he gave his best shot in the movie.
“I had done movies earlier before that, but yes, I think that was the turning point of my career. I didn’t even know what I did, but I just know that I did the job.
“And when I was going round Nigeria, people were screaming Black Arrow, and I was like, hey, what’s going on here? I had so many things, and everywhere I go, people wanted to have pics of Black Arrow,” he stated.
He continued: “I gave it my best shot, actually.”
Segun further clarified that Ramsey Noah, who was also featured in the 1996 Nigerian movie, was the lead actor, not him.
Due to his perfect performance in the movie and playing the character, Black Arrow, he garnered the attention of many and was perceived to be the lead actor in the movie.
“I wasn’t the lead in that (Silent Night) movie. It was Ramsey, the story was all about Ramsey, and Kate Henshaw was my sister. For one reason or another, it just turned. The narrative just changed.
“I guess because we were trying to do the end bit of the firing squad of it, and I told Chiko, well, we should just let Black Arrow escape and come back for revenge in part 2.
“He looked at me and said Okay. Stay in the crowd, and then we went on to do Silent Night, which became a monster and a hit,” he stated.
Silent Night is a classic Nollywood action-thriller film from 1996 about robbery, in which a gang was formed by different people. Directed by the late Chico Ejiro, it is known for being the movie that earned actor Segun Arinze his nickname “Black Arrow”.
Aside Segun Arinze, who starred as Black Arrow, the movie also featured Ramsey Nouah as Stanley, Alex Usifo as the Case Judge and Stanley’s father, Joke Silva as Mrs. Agnes Odame, Stanley’s mother, Kate Henshaw as Ruth, Emeka Ike as Spako and Victoria Inyama as Julie.
