TEJIRI EBRUPHIHO OPHORI

This study examines the psychological dimensions of acting and their impact on the emotional and mental well-being of Nigerian actors. Acting is approached not merely as an artistic craft but as a psychological complex process involving emotional regulation, empathy, identity negotiation and self-awareness. The research is motivated by the observation that, despite the global recognition of performance psychology, Nigerian actors operate within an emotionally demanding context that lacks institutional psychological support of formal de￾rolling mechanisms. The study adopts a mixed-method design combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews. Emotion regulation theory and rule theory provided the theoretical framework. The research concluded that acting in Nigeria constitutes a form of substantive emotional labor requiring both artistic skill and psychological resilience. While Nigerian actors demonstrate remarkable adaptability, the lack of training for psychological recovery exposes them to long￾term emotional strain. The study recommends the integration of psychological literacy, the rolling practices and counselling support into Nigerian acting curricular and production environment,the research contribute to a broader understanding of acting as both a creative and psychological negotiation between self and character