Genevieve Nnaji
Quick Facts
Biography
Genevieve Nnaji (/nˈnɑːdʒi/; born 3 May 1979) is a Nigerian actress and singer. She won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 2005. In 2011, she was honoured as a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic by the Nigerian government for her contribution to Nollywood.
Early life
Nnaji was born in Mbaise, Imo State, Nigeria but grew up in Lagos, the fourth of eight children and was brought up in a middle class environment. Her father worked as an engineer and her mother as a nursery teacher. She attended Methodist Girls College (Yaba, Lagos), before transferring into the University of Lagos where she graduated with bachelor degree in creative arts. While at the university, she began auditioning for acting jobs in Nollywood.
Career
Nnaji started her acting career as a child actress in the then popular television soap opera Ripples at the age of 8. In 1998 at the age of 19 she was introduced into the growing Nigerian film industry with the movie "Most Wanted". Her subsequent movies include Last Party, Mark of the Beast and Ijele. In 2010 she starred in the award winning film Ijé: The Journey. Nnaji has starred in over 80 Nollywood movies. Genevieve Nnaji is considered to be one of the best paid actresses in Nollywood. In 2009, she was referred to as the Julia Roberts of Africa by Oprah Winfrey.
In 2004 she signed a recording contract with EKB Records, a Ghanaian record label, and released her debut album One Logologo Line, a mix of R&B, Hip-Hop and Urban music.
Modelling
Nnaji has featured in several commercials some of which include those of Pronto beverage and Omo detergent. In 2004 she became the "Face of Lux" in Nigeria in a highly lucrative sponsorship deal. In 2008 Nnaji launched the clothing line, "St. Genevieve", which donates its proceeds to charity. In May 2010 Nnaji was appointed to be the official "Face of MUD" in Nigeria.
Awards and nominations
Nnaji 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 Africa Movie Academy Awards.
Year | Event | Prize | Recipient | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | Nigeria Entertainment Awards | Best Actress Leading role | Road to Yesterday | Nominated |
2016 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards | Best Movie West Africa | Road to Yesterday | Won | |
2016 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards | Best Actress Leading Role | Road to yesterday | Nominated | |
2014 | 2014 Nigeria Entertainment Awards | Best Actress In a Supporting Role | Half of a Yellow Sun | Won |
2014 | ELOY Awards | Brand Ambassador of the Year (Etisalat) | N/A | Nominated |
2013 | 2013 THE FACE LIST AWARDS ( USA) | honoree | ||
2013 | Nafca | Best Actress In A Supporting Role | Weekend Getaway | Won |
2013 | 2013 Nigeria Entertainment Awards | Best Actress Leading role | Doctor Bello | Nominated |
2013 | 2013 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards | Best Actress In Drama | Mirror Boy | Nominated |
2012 | 2012 Nollywood Movies Awards | Best Actress Leading role | Tango With Me | Nominated |
2012 Nollywood Movies Awards | Female Viewers Choice | Won | ||
2012 | 2012 Golden Icons Academy Movie Awards | Female Viewers Choice | N/A | Nominated |
2011 | Zulu African Film Academy Awards London | Best Actress | Mirror Boy | Won |
2011 | Monaco Charity Film a Festival Awards | Breakthrough Performance ( Actress) | Mirror Boy | Won |
2012 | 2012 Best of Nollywood Awards | Best Actress Leading role | Mirror Boy | Nominated |
Best Kiss in Nigerian movie | Bursting Out with Majid Michel | Won | ||
2010 | 2010 Nigeria Entertainment Awards | Best Actress in TV Series/Reality Show/ Game Show | Guinness Ultimate Survivor Celebrity edition | Won |
2010 | Ghana Movie Awards | Best Actress - West Collaboration | Silent Scandals | Won |
2010 | 2010 Best of Nollywood Awards | Best Actress Leading Role | Silent Scandals | Nominated |
2008 | 4th Africa Movie Academy Awards | Best Actress in leading role | 30days/keep my will | Nominated |
2005 | 1st Africa Movie Academy Awards | Best Actress in a Leading Role | N/A | Won |
2001 | 2001 City People Awards | Best Actress of the year | N/A | Won |
Filmography
Year | Film | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1998 | Most Wanted | ||
1999 | Camouflage | with Ramsey Nouah | |
2001 | Love Boat | with Ramsey Nouah | |
Death Warrant | |||
2002 | Valentino | with Ramsey Nouah | |
Fire Dancer | Nene | ||
Sharon Stone | Sharon Stone | ||
Runs! | Adesua | with Gorgina Onuoha | |
Power of Love | Juliet | with Ramsey Nouah, Grace Amah | |
Formidable Force | with Gorgina Onuoha & Hanks Anuku | ||
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 | |
2007 | Letters to a Stranger | Jemima Lawal | with Yemi Blaq, Joke Silva and Segun Arinze |
Keep my will | |||
Warrior's Heart | |||
Unfinished business | Nkem | ||
Winds of glory | Juliana | ||
2008 | Beautiful Soul | Olivia | this film received 3 African Movie Academy Award nominations for Best Screenplay, Best Soundtrack and Heart of Africa |
Broken Tears | with Van Vicker, Kate Henshaw-Nuttal and Grace Amah | ||
Critical Condition | Ify | ||
River of Tears | Yvonne | with Kate Henshaw-Nuttal, Van Vicker and Grace Amah | |
My Idol | |||
Love my way | Kayla | ||
2009 | Silent Scandals | Jessie | with Majid Michel & Uche Jombo |
Felicima | Felicima | with Alex Lopez | |
2010 | Ijé: The Journey | Chioma Opara | with Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, Odalys García & Clem Ohameze |
Tango with me | Lola | with Joke Silva | |
Bursting Out | Zara Williams | with Majid Michel, Nse Ikpe-Etim, Omoni Oboli & Desmond Elliot | |
Mirror Boy | Teema | with Osita Iheme | |
2011 | Sacred Lies | Isabella | with Olu Jacobs, Desmond Elliot & Nadia Buari |
2012 | Weekend Getaway | with Ramsey Noah, Ini Edo, Michael Okpara | |
2013 | Half of a Yellow Sun | Ms. Adebayo | with Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, Onyeka Onwenu, and OC Ukeje |
Doctor Bello | with Isaiah Washington, Vivica A. Fox, Justus Esiri, and Stephanie Okereke | ||
2014 | The Truth with Olisa | Guest | TV Series |
2015 | Road to Yesterday | Victoria | with Oris Erhuero and Majid Michel |
Discography
- One Logologo Line (2004)