Nollywood actor Michael Dappa has cut off his signature dreadlocks for a new film produced by Omoni Oboli TV, sharing an emotional reaction as he watched years of hair come away on camera.

Director and producer Omoni Oboli posted the transformation online, confirming that it's for a role and not an AI effect.

In a short video, Dappa speaks directly to fans as the haircut begins. “I’m about to go and cut my hair. I’m still nervous, and I feel like crying. I have attachment issues. This hair made me realise that,” he says.

He added that he had not seen himself without locks in “four or five years” and confessed to feeling both “empty” and “very full” after the cut.

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Omoni Oboli wrote in the clip’s caption that Dappa told her last year he was ready to cut his locks so he could “fully immerse himself into different characters and truly stretch as an actor".

She said they waited for the right story and that the film’s narrative made the decision meaningful.

“No, it is not AI,” she added, praising the performance and promising viewers a captivating, layered story.

The reveal comes amid rising interest in Dappa’s career. The actor, who has a growing fan base across Nigeria and Ghana, has been praised for roles that mix depth with broad appeal.

Cutting his dreadlocks appears to be a deliberate career move, one that aligns with a wider trend of actors changing their look to inhabit roles more completely.

Fans reacted quickly online, offering support and curiosity about how the new look will read on screen.

In his clip, Michael Dappa acknowledged that reaction: “I don’t know how you guys are going to receive it. But regardless, I know that you guys love me unconditionally, and I hope you like the new look.”

He closed with a reminder that the change does not alter who he is as an actor or a person.

Omoni Oboli has not yet released the film’s title or premiere date. The video serves as a teaser of work in progress and a glimpse at an actor willing to make bold personal choices for his craft.