Our woman crush this week is none other than Nollywood queen, Genevieve Nnaji, who clocked 38 on Wednesday.
To felicitate with her, we are sharing nine things about her.
- Born in Imo, bred in Lagos
Genevieve Nnaji was born in Mbaise, Imo State but grew up in Lagos. She is the fourth of eight children. Her father worked as an engineer and her mother as a nursery teacher.
- Started acting career at 8
Genny, as she is fondly called, started her acting career as a child actress in the then popular NTA soap opera, Ripples, at the age of 8. In 1998, at the age of 19, she made her debut in the growing Nigerian film industry with the movie Most Wanted.
- Studied creative arts at UNILAG
After, attending Methodist Girls College in Yaba, she enrolled into the University of Lagos (UNILAG) where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in creative arts. While at the university, she began auditioning for acting jobs.
- Movie awards
She is a recipient of many movie awards some of which include best actress at the 2001 City People Awards and in 2005 at the inaugural edition of the prestigious African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA).
- She sings too
In 2004, she was contracted by a Ghanaian record label to record an album, One Logologo Line, which got immense attention in Nigeria and in several African countries.
- She is a philanthropist
Since launching her clothing line, St. Genevieve, in 2008 she donates a percentage of her proceeds to charity.
- First Nigerian actress to appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show
Genevieve made history by being the first Nigerian actress to be profiled on The Oprah Winfrey Show (2009) on an episode about the most popular people around the world. She is believed to be the highest paid in Nollywood today.
- She is a model
She is also a model who has been the face of various lucrative brands. In 2004, she became the Face of Lux in Nigeria and in May 2010 she was appointed the official Face of MUD in Nigeria.
- National honour holder
In 2011, she was honoured as a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) by the Nigerian government for her contributions to Nollywood.
