Cartoon Network and Max announced today the all-Nigerian voice cast for Iyanu, the animated superhero series steeped in Nigerian culture and mythology. A Lion Forge Entertainment production, the show is an adaptation of Dark Horse Comics/YouNeek Studios’ popular graphic novel series Iyanu: Child of Wonder, by award-winning Nigerian creator and producer Roye Okupe.
Leading the cast is Serah Johnson as Iyanu, a teenage heroine who must uncover the mystery behind her newfound powers to save her people from an ancient curse threatening to destroy humanity. Johnson, known for her extensive voiceover work within the animation industry and audiobooks, is the first Nigerian and African to win the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences (SOVAS) Award for Outstanding Animation Character – Film or TV – Best African Voiceover for her work on Moji.
The voice roster is made up of promising new talent as well as well-established actors, including:
TV personality and City People Award winner for Fast Rising Male Actor Okey Jude (Hotel Labamba, The Governor’s Daughter) who joins the cast as Biyi, Iyanu’s carefree adventurer friend. Recognized as the official interactive voice response on Nigeria’s largest telecommunications network MTN between 2013 and 2015, Jude also earned an Africa Choice Awards nomination for The Most Promising Male Movie Star of 2022.
Samuel Kugbiyi, a multifaceted artist with a career spanning from childhood, comes on board as Iyanu’s bookworm friend Toye. Kugbiyi both wrote and performed in the acclaimed musical drama Tafiya Lafiya: The Journey.
African Movie Academy Awards winner and Nollywood actress Adesua Etomi-Wellington (King of Boys, Gangs of Lagos), who Vogue named as one of their 14 global superstars in 2019, will voice Olori.
Set to play Toye’s father Kanfo is one of Nollywood’s foremost leading men, Blossom Chukwujekwu (Falling, Stolen Lives) who boasts multiple wins and nominations from the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, Best of Nollywood Awards, Golden Movies Awards, and others.
Nigerian-born entertainer and author of Màmá, It’s A Girl Stella Damasus (Gone) is set to play Sewa.
Shaffy Bello (The Score, Battleground), a Best of Nollywood Awards nominee, has signed on to voice Emi – The One Mother.
And esteemed actor Ike Ononye (Doc Martin, The Lovers) plays Elder Alapani.
Iyanu is set in the magical kingdom of Yorubaland, inspired by Nigerian culture, music and mythology. Drawing deeply from Yoruba culture, the animated series follows a teenage orphan girl, Iyanu, who spends her days studying history and ancient arts but yearns for a normal life. One day, responding to danger, she unknowingly triggers her divine powers, the likes of which have not been seen since the Age of Wonders. With newly discovered superpowers, Iyanu joins forces with two other teenagers, Biyi and Toye, as they embark on a remarkable journey to discover the truth about the evil lurking in her homeland. Throughout her adventure, she’ll uncover the truth about her past, her parents, and her ultimate destiny to save the world.
The series is slated for release in the U.S. on Cartoon Network and Max in 2025 and has a 26 episode, two season order.
Brandon Easton (Transformers: War for Cybertron: Seige, Marvel’s Agent Carter) heads the writers’ room, with Roye Okupe serving as the executive producer, writer and director on multiple episodes. Executive producers are David Steward II and Matt Heath from Lion Forge Entertainment, Erica Dupuis of Impact X Capital, Ryan Haidarian of Forefront Media Group, and Doug Schwalbe.
