Genevieve Nnaji

Genevieve Nnaji

Genevieve Nnaji (born May 3, 1979) is a Nigerian actress, producer, and director. She started her acting career as a child actor in the then-popular television series "Ripples" at the age of 8. In 1998, she starred in the movie "Most Wanted", which brought her to fame. Since then, she has starred in numerous Nollywood movies and has received several awards, including the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 2005, making her the first Nigerian actress to win the award.

Early Life and Education

Genevieve Nnaji was born in Mbaise, Imo State, Nigeria, on May 3, 1979. She is the fourth of eight children. Her father was an engineer, while her mother was a teacher. Nnaji attended Methodist Girls College, Yaba, Lagos, for her secondary education. She later studied Creative Arts at the University of Lagos, but she did not complete her degree.

Acting Career

Nnaji started her acting career as a child actor in the television series "Ripples" in 1987. In 1998, she starred in the movie "Most Wanted", which brought her to fame. Since then, she has starred in numerous Nollywood movies, including "Sharon Stone" (2002), "Runs" (2004), "Blood Sisters" (2003), "Mirror Boy" (2010), "Half of a Yellow Sun" (2013), "Road to Yesterday" (2015), and "Lionheart" (2018).

Nnaji has also produced and directed several movies, including "My Father's Daughter" (2018), "Lionheart" (2018), and "Flawless" (2018).

Awards and Recognition

Nnaji has received several awards for her acting skills, including the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 2005 for her role in "Blood Sisters". She is the first Nigerian actress to win the award. She has also won the Best Actress in a Leading Role award at the Nollywood Movies Awards in 2010 and 2013, and the Best Actress award at the African Magic Viewers' Choice Awards in 2014 and 2015.

Nnaji was listed as one of the 100 most influential Africans by New African magazine in 2011 and was named one of the 20 most powerful women in Africa by Forbes in 2014. She was also named one of the 50 most powerful celebrities in Africa by Forbes in 2015.

Personal Life

Nnaji is a private person and does not share much about her personal life with the media. She has a daughter named Theodora Chimelu Nnaji, who was born in 2004.