Genevieve Nnaji | |
---|---|
![]() Genevieve Nnaji at the launch of her fashion label St.Genevieve in Lagos Nigeria, May 2008 | |
Born | Genevieve Nnaji 3 May 1979 |
Occupation(s) | Actress, Model, Singer |
Years active | 1987—present |
Website | http://genevievennajionline.com/ |
Genevieve Nnaji, MFR[1][2] (/nˈnɑːdʒi/;[3] born 3 May 1979)[4] is a Nigerian actress. In 2005 she won the African Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.[5][6][7] CNN states that she is referred to as the "Julia Roberts of Africa".[8]
Early life
editNnaji was born in Mbaise, Imo State, Nigeria and grew up in Lagos, Nigeria. The fourth of eight children she was brought up in a middle class environment. Her father worked as an engineer and her mother as a teacher. She attended the Methodist Girls College Yaba before heading onto the University of Lagos. While at the university Genevieve began auditioning for acting jobs amongst the many Nollywood projects.[7]
Career
editNnaji started her acting career as a child actress in the then popular television soap opera Ripples at the age of 8.[9] In 1998 at the age of 19 she was introduced into the growing Nigerian film industry with the movie “Most Wanted”.[10] Her subsequent movies include Last Party, Mark of the Beast and Ijele.[9] In 2010 she starred in the award winning film Ijé: The Journey. Nnaji has starred in over 80 Nollywood movies.[11] along side both Nigerian and and Ghanian top Actors such as Chioma Chukwuka, Ini Edo, Van Vicker and money more. Genevieve Nnaji is considered to be one of the best paid actresses in Nollywood.[12][13] In 2004 she signed a recording contract with EKB Records, a Ghanaian record label, and released her debut album One Logologo Line,[14] a mix of R&B, Hip-Hop and Urban music.[15]
Modelling
editNnaji has featured in several commercials some of which include Pronto beverage and Omo detergent. In 2004 she became the "Face of Lux" in Nigeria[16] in a highly lucrative sponsorship deal.[7] This deal was worth 20million[17] 2008 saw Nnaji launching a clothing line, "St. Genevieve", which donates its proceeds to charity.[6][18] In May 2010 Nnaji was appointed to be the official "Face of MUD" in Nigeria.[19][20][21][22][23]
Awards and nominations
editNnaji has received several awards and nominations for her work, including the Best Actress of the year award at the 2001 City People Awards and the Best Actress in a Leading Role award at the 2005 African Movie Academy Awards.[5][7] With all the awards to prove her outstanding performance she is the first Nigerian guest to appear on 99Oprah Winfrey Show]] and one of the few Nigerians relevant enough to be interviewed on CNN[24]
Filmography
editYear | Film | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1998 | Most Wanted | ||
1999 | Camouflage | with Ramsey Nouah | |
2001 | Love Boat | with Ramsey Nouah | |
Death Warrant | |||
2002 | Valentino | with Ramsey Nouah | |
Sharon Stone | Sharon Stone | ||
Runs! | with Gorgina Onuoha | ||
Power of Love | Juliet | with Ramsey Nouah, Grace Amah | |
Formidable Force | with Gorgina Onuoha | ||
Battle Line | with Ramsey Nouah & Pete Edochie | ||
2003 | Above Death: In God We Trust | with Pete Edochie, Kate Henshaw-Nuttal, Ramsey Nouah & Zack Orji | |
Blood Sister | with Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde & Tony Umez | ||
Break Up | with Ramsey Nouah | ||
Butterfly | with Ramsey Nouah | ||
By His Grace | with Tony Umez | ||
Church Business | with Ramsey Nouah & Segun Arinze | ||
Deadly Mistake | |||
Emergency Wedding | with Tony Umez | ||
Emotional Tears | Helen | ||
For Better for Worse | |||
Honey | with Ramsey Nouah & Pete Edochie | ||
Jealous Lovers | Chioma | ||
Keeping Faith: Is That Love? | with Richard Mofe-Damijo | ||
Last Weekend | with Ramsey Nouah | ||
Late Marriage | |||
Love | Anita | with Richard Mofe-Damijo & Segun Arinze | |
My only Love | Angela | with Ramsey Nouah | |
Not Man Enough | |||
Passion & Pain | with Ramsey Nouah & Desmond Elliot | ||
Passions | with Stella Damasus-Aboderin & Richard Mofe-Damijo | ||
Player: Mr. Lover Man | |||
Private Sin | Faith | with Stephanie Okereke, Richard Mofe-Damijo & Patience Ozokwor | |
Sharon Stone in Abuja | Sharon Stone | ||
Super Love | with Ramsey Nouah & Pete Edochie | ||
The Chosen One | |||
Women Affair | |||
2004 | Bumper to Bumper | with Georgina Onuoha | |
Critical Decision | with Richard Mofe-Damijo, Stephanie Okereke & Mike Ezuruonye | ||
Dangerous Sister | with Tony Umez & Dakore Egbuson | ||
Goodbye New York | with Rita Dominic | ||
He Lives in Me | |||
Into Temptation | with Ramsey Nouah | ||
My First Love | with Tony Umez | ||
Never Die for Love | |||
Promise Me Forever | with Stephanie Okereke | ||
Stand by Me | |||
Treasure | |||
Unbreakable | with Ramsey Nouah | ||
We Are One | with Stella Damasus-Aboderin | ||
2005 | Darkest Night | with Richard Mofe-Damijo & Segun Arinze | |
Games Women Play | with Stella Damasus-Aboderin, Desmond Elliot & Zack Orji | ||
Rip-Off | with Ramsey Nouah | ||
2006 | Girls Cot | with Rita Dominic & Ini Edo | |
30 Days | Chinora Onu | with Segun Arinze – this film received 10 nominations at the African Movie Academy Awards in 2008, including Best Picture, Best Art Direction, Best Screenplay, Best Edit, Best Costumes and Best Sound[25] | |
2007 | Letters to a Stranger | with Segun Arinze | |
Warrior's Heart | |||
"A Piece of Flesh" | with Dakore Egbuson, Desmond Elliot[26] | ||
2008 | Beautiful Soul | Olivia | this film received 3 African Movie Academy Award nominations for Best Screenplay, Best Soundtrack and Heart of Africa[27] |
Broken Tears | with Van Vicker, Kate Henshaw-Nuttal and Grace Amah | ||
Critical Condition | |||
River of Tears | Yvonne | with Kate Henshaw-Nuttal, Van Vicker and Grace Amah | |
My Idol | |||
2009 | Silent Scandal | Jessy | with Majid Michel & Uche Jombo[28] |
"Sleep walker" | Angel | with Ramsey Nouah, Mercy Johnson, Jackie Appiah[29] | |
"Wild Passion", "Emerald" (continuation of "Wild Passion") | Emerald | with Majid Michel, Tonto Dikeh[29] | |
2010 | Ijé: The Journey | Chioma | with Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, Odalys García & Clem Ohameze[30] |
Tango with me | Lola | with Joke Silva | |
Bursting Out | Zara Williams | with Majid Michel, Nse Ikpe-Etim, Omoni Oboli & Desmond Elliot[31][32] | |
Mirror Boy | Teema | with Osita Iheme[33] | |
"Confidence" | with Tony Umez, Mama G[29] | ||
2011 | Sacred Lies | Isabella | with Olu Jacobs, Desmond Elliot & Nadia Buari[34] |
References
edit- ^ "Star Actress Genevieve Nnaji Reveals Success Secrets". Leadership. Abuja, Nigeria. 8 December 2011. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
{{cite news}}
: Text "Leadership Newspapers" ignored (help) - ^ "Nigeria actress Genevieve ready to visit Zambia". Zambian Watchdog. 21 November 2011. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
- ^ "Pedro Pinto from CNN's 'African Voices' pronouncing Nnaji's name at 00:31 into the video". CNN. 29 March 2011. Retrieved 6 September 2011.
- ^ "Nollywood's finest". New Vision. Kampala, Uganda: New Vision Printing & Publishing Company Limited. 1 May 2005. Retrieved 15 February 2011.
- ^ a b Clayton, Jonathan (3 April 2010). "Nollywood success puts Nigeria's film industry in regional spotlight". The Times. London: Times Newspapers Ltd, UK. Retrieved 14 August 2010.
{{cite news}}
: Text "The Times Online]]" ignored (help) - ^ a b Ezenna, Uchenna. "ELAN PERSONALITY: Genevieve Nnaji". Lagos, Nigeria: Timbuktu Media. Retrieved 6 August 2010.
- ^ a b c d "Africa's Most Famous Movie Star?". Newstime Africa. Kent, UK. 21 August 2009. Retrieved 19 October 2009.
- ^ "Genevieve Nnaji: Nollywood's Julia Roberts." CNN. 29 March 2011. Retrieved on 30 March 2011.
- ^ a b "MIMI Lifestyle Magazine, February 2006: Interview with Genevieve Nnaji". Retrieved 19 October 2009.
- ^ "Future Connector: Genevieve Nnaji". CNN International. Atlanta, GA, USA: Turner Broadcasting System. 27 October 2010. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
- ^ "List of Movies by Genevieve Nnaji". Retrieved 19 October 2009.
- ^ Mignot, Elisa (25 December 2009). "Lagos, capitale de Nollywood". Le Monde (in French). Paris, France: Éric Fottorino. p. 16. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
- ^ "Best Paid Nollywood Actresses Revealed". Retrieved 19 October 2009.
- ^ "Genevieve at Blue Pie Productions". Retrieved 19 October 2009.
- ^ "Genevieve: One Logologo Line". Retrieved 19 October 2009.
- ^ "Genevieve Nnaji & Lux advertisement". London, UK: Unilever PLC. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
- ^ Land= http://www.nairaland.com/252417/genevieve-nnajis-corner-all-about=Naira Land=.
{{cite web}}
: Check|url=
value (help); Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ Wehwe, Vivien. "Charity Runway; celebrities rise up for orphans". The Vanguard. Lagos, Nigeria: Vanguard Media. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
- ^ "MUD, Bellezza Cosmetics and Spa, and Genevieve Nnaji = One beautiful collaboration!". Burbank, CA, USA: Make-up Designory. 22 July 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
- ^ "Genevieve Nnaji is Face of New Make Up Line". AllAfrica.com. AllAfrica Global Media. 21 May 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
- ^ Onyebukwa, Vivian (29 May 2010). "MUD Cosmetics berths in Nigeria". Daily Sun. Lagos, Nigeria: The Sun Publishing Limited. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
- ^ Falode, Kehinde (13 June 2010). "Make-Up Designory (MUD) debuts in Nigeria". The Nation. Lagos, Nigeria: Vintage Press Limited. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
- ^ Onyema, Ada (5 June 2010). "Genevive becomes face of MUD". The Punch. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
- ^ [[cite web|url=http://irokotv.com/actors/17/Genevieve-.-N=Iroko=2011
- ^ "List of Nominees for AMAA 2008". ScreenAfrica.com. Retrieved 20 October 2009.
- ^ Tv=2011 http://irokotv.com/actors/17/Genevieve-.-N=Iroko Tv=2011.
{{cite web}}
: Check|url=
value (help); Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ "AMAA Nominees and Winners 2009". African Movie Academy Award. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
- ^ "Silent Scandals hits movie shelves soon". Vintage Press Limited. Retrieved 21 January 2010.
- ^ a b c [[cite web|url=http://irokotv.com/actors/17/Genevieve-.-N=Iroko Tv=2011
- ^ "Odalys García's first feature film: Ijé -The Journey". Retrieved 19 November 2009.
- ^ Olukole, Tope (7 August 2010). "Nadia Bouari Visits Nigeria". Nigerian Tribune. Ibadan, Nigeria. Retrieved 10 January 2011.
- ^ "Genevieve, Majid Michale sparkle in Bursting Out". Vanguard. Lagos, Nigeria: Vanguard Media. 23 April 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
- ^ "Richest Nollywood Actresses". AllAfrica.com. AllAfrica Global Media. 26 September 2010. Retrieved 10 January 2011.
- ^ Adedayo, Odulaja (11 March 2011). "Nigeria: Plate of Sacred Lies Dotted Only by Star Factor". AllAfrica.com. AllAfrica Global Media. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
External links
edit
Category:1979 births
Category:Living people
Category:People from Imo State
Category:Nigerian actors
Category:Best Actress African Movie Academy Award winners
Category:Igbo actors
Category:Nigerian singers
Category:Nigerian musicians