Genevieve Nnaji

Genevieve Nnaji is a renowned Nigerian actress, producer, and director born on May 3, 1979, in Mbaise, Imo State, and raised in Lagos as the fourth of eight children in a middle-class family. She began her acting career at the age of eight in the TV soap opera Ripples and made her Nollywood debut in 1998 with Most Wanted, going on to star in over 200 films. Nnaji won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 2005, becoming the first recipient, and was honored as a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011 for her contributions to Nollywood. She transitioned to producing with Road to Yesterday (2015) and directed Lionheart (2018), Nigeria's first Oscar submission and a Netflix original. Beyond film, she released a music album in 2004, modeled for brands like Lux, and launched the charity-focused clothing line "St. Genevieve" in 2008. Nnaji is also an advocate for women's rights and a self-identified feminist.

EARLY LIFE

Nnaji was born in Mbaise, Imo State, located in the southeast region of Nigeria and grew up in Lagos, southwest Nigeria. The fourth of eight children, she was raised in a middle-class family; her father worked as an engineer and her mother was a nursery school teacher.

CAREER

Nnaji started her acting career as a child actor in the television soap opera Ripples at the age of eight. 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. She has starred in over 200 Nollywood movies. In 2004, Nnaji signed a recording contract with EKB Records and released her debut album One Logologo Line. In November 2015, Nnaji produced her first movie Road to Yesterday. On 7 September 2018, her directorial debut Lionheart was acquired by Netflix, making it the first Netflix original film from Nigeria and Nigeria's first Oscar submission. She was also honored as a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011 for her contributions to Nollywood. Beyond film, she modeled for brands like Lux, and launched the charity-focused clothing line 'St. Genevieve' in 2008.

PERSONAL LIFE

Nnaji is also a women's activist. She advocates for Nigerian girls to be able to have a say in who they choose to marry. She is against early marriages for the girl child. She advocates against the abuse of women in society. Nnaji has described herself as a feminist, stating that her type of feminism is that of a woman who has the right to make her own choices and do whatever she feels like.