Genevieve Nnaji: Africa’s Most Famous Movie Star?
21st August 2009 · 15 Comments · By Newstime Africa
Nnaji found mainstream Nollywood success in 1998. Despite her popularity as an actress, she has consistently added accolades, such as singer, producer and fashion designer to her name. In 2004 she became the face of Lux soap in a highly lucrative sponsorship deal. Among other actors and actresses, she released her first album, titled No More, in 2005, following a one year acting ban. Three years later in May, Nnaji launched her clothing line St. Genevieve which was a huge success as the simple, yet elegant easy-wear clothes were a hit with the public. God’s time, they say, is the best.
Today Nollywood actress Genevieve Nnaji has made a name and carved a niche for herself in the movie industry. If there were any name that is synonymous with the budding Nigerian film industry it would be that of Genevieve Nnaji. Probably the most famous actress of the genre, Genevieve is loved and admired across Africa and beyond. Genevieve Nnaji was born on May 3, 1979 in Mbaise, Imo State, Nigeria, but grew up in Lagos the commercial capital of Nigeria. She was brought up in a relatively middle class environment, the fourth of eight children. Her father worked as an engineer and her mother a teacher. She attended the Methodist Girls College Yaba, before heading onto the University of Lagos where she was admitted to a degree in Creative Arts. While at university Genevieve began auditioning for acting jobs amongst the myriad of Nollywood projects one finds going on simultaneously in Lagos. As fortune would have it in 1998, she landed a role as an extra in Ralph Nwadike’s “Most Wanted”. This role signalled the beginning of her rise to stardom.
Such was her success that she was forced to put on hold her studies to concentrate on her budding film career.Now with over 60 films to her credit Genevieve is not just one of the hardest working actresses in Nollywood but also arguably the most successful, winning several accolades including the 2005 African Movie Academy Award (AMAA) for Best Actress. Not content with dominating the silver screen,Genevieve has also made her mark as a model and in 2004 was named the face for Lux soap in a highly lucrative sponsorship deal. That year also saw her release her debut album titled “No More”. Her latest project is “30 Days” directed by a relatively new but ambitious Nollywood director Mildred Okwo in which she plays the lead role of Chinora Onu who becomes inadvertently entangled in a political mystery, a role Genevieve has described as the most demanding of her career. What does the future hold for Genevieve, well the Nigerian Film Industry continues to grow from strength to strength and Genevieve is definitely pivotal to this, and although she has hinted about returning to complete her studies I think we will see her light up the screens for a few more years.
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Tags: Genevieve Nnaji, nigerian actress, nigerian movies
Hello Genevieve, I am from the USA, state of Mississippi, i admire your acting skill. I enjoyed the DVD Sanga Entertainment movie Upside Down and Sleepwalker Sequels. and also the one with the the actor Van Vicker when he fool you in a relationship and he was already married and you fool his wife that you was his sister when you stayed with them. you are a talented person. Sincerely, Nickname: applepimp.
my dear u are the best ok.any other person is a second handed person
Hey genevieve you are the frist best actress in nigeria and omotola is the second best actress keep up your good work cause you will need it in the future
@ A. J. applepimp — As for “Love is wicked,” The Van Vicker movie, that actress was not genevieve nnaji — it was stephanie okereke. However, Genevieve Nnaji is my all time favorite bad girl of Nollywood!
Stop hating@soulstice,genny is no1.
You r d bst
I love you baby. you are the best of them all I pray God will keep you safe and sound so as to bring to us more interesting movies. I like this your movie with Majid Silent Scandal it’s a great movie keep it up
Hi, really enjoyed this article! Great topic.
Genevieve,you are my model and wish to speak or behave like you,you are much cultivated and well educated,keep on dear,you do encourage so many adolescence.
U are classy genny girl!
gene do remeber d guy who called u some time back 4 a driving job iam p/s call me if u have any thanks bye.
am just not moved by your movies though they are nice and i don’t like you in person too, but thus how life is, more grease to your elbow for your good work.
jealousy is a freedom of fools if u dnt lyk nor love her dts ur business kip it 4 urslf wi dnt wish to hear dt. genevievie u r da best nd u’l always be. God bless u my dear sis u r a role model to the new generation.
my love u are the best,any other comes the second,kip it up,no one is like you,i dont know wat to say,but the truth is who will look at you and say there is any who is up to you in movie industry,show the person,and i will show you a blind and a jaelous person,kip going love.the best of all best that is what you are.
i love you Gene you are the best there is from kenya