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Yvonne Orji

Highest Rated: 96% Spontaneous (2020)

Lowest Rated: 21% Vacation Friends 2 (2023)

Birthday: Dec 2, 1983

Birthplace: Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Actress Yvonne Orji turned her experiences as the child of Nigerian immigrants living in America into material for her stand-up comedy, which in turn led to a co-starring role on the critically praised comedy series "Insecure" (HBO, 2016- ). Born December 2, 1983 in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, she relocated to Maryland with her three older brothers and parents, who expected their daughter to take up medicine or engineering as a career. She reached a compromise by pursuing a bachelor's and master's degree in public health, which she earned from George Washington University. While there, she also entered the Miss Nigeria in America pageant; realizing that she lacked a displayable talent for that portion of the competition, she decided to revive her childhood love for comedy. Her five-minute set, which focused on growing up as a Nigerian in America, received a positive response, and she soon began performing at other venues. Orji soon decided to abandon public health for comedy, which prompted a move to New York in 2009. Two years later, she headed west to serve as a writers' room intern on the sitcom "Love That Girl!" (TV One, 2010-2014) for producer Martin Lawrence and star Tatyana Ali. She soon joined the show's writing staff while also writing, starring in and raising the funds for "First Gen," a viral comedy series based on Orji's experiences as the first-generation child of Nigerian immigrants and an aspiring comic. While completing the series, Orji sent a trailer to "Awkward Black Girl" (YouTube, 2011-2013) creator Issa Rae, who was herself the first-generation child of African parents. Rae suggested that Orji audition for a co-starring role on "Insecure," a new comedy series she had created for HBO. Orji was soon cast as Molly, a lawyer and best friend to Rae's Issa, on "Insecure." The series netted near-universal acclaim from television critics, as well as a Golden Globe nod for Rae and an NAACP Image Award nomination for Orji.

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Highest rated movies

96% 68% Spontaneous Watchlist 87% 85% The Blackening Watchlist 58% 55% Vacation Friends Watchlist 27% 38% Night School Watchlist 21% 38% Vacation Friends 2 Watchlist
40% Yvonne Orji: A Whole Me
Watchlist
75% Insecure: The End
Watchlist
Yvonne Orji: Momma, I Made It!
Watchlist
33% Yearly Departed
Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
21% 38% Vacation Friends 2 Emily (Character) - 2023
87% 85% The Blackening Unknown (Character) $17.7M 2022
No Score Yet 40% Yvonne Orji: A Whole Me Self,
Screenwriter,
Executive Producer
- 2022
No Score Yet 75% Insecure: The End Self - 2021
No Score Yet 33% Yearly Departed Host - 2021
58% 55% Vacation Friends Emily (Character) - 2021
96% 68% Spontaneous Agent Rosetti (Character) - 2020
No Score Yet No Score Yet Yvonne Orji: Momma, I Made It! Self,
Screenwriter,
Executive Producer
- 2020
27% 38% Night School Maya (Character) $77.2M 2018

TV

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen Guest 2023
100% 86% My Dad the Bounty Hunter Tess (Voice) 2023
No Score Yet No Score Yet Taste the Nation With Padma Lakshmi Self 2023
No Score Yet 11% Velma Gigi (Voice) 2023
No Score Yet No Score Yet If We're Being Honest With Laverne Cox Guest 2022
No Score Yet 18% The Late Late Show With James Corden Guest 2021-2022
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Jennifer Hudson Show Guest 2022
No Score Yet No Score Yet My Mom, Your Dad Host 2022
97% 82% Insecure Molly (Character) 2016-2018 2020-2021
No Score Yet 54% The Kelly Clarkson Show Guest 2021
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Ellen DeGeneres Show Guest,
Host
2021
No Score Yet No Score Yet Desus & Mero Guest 2021
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Talk Guest 2020-2021
No Score Yet 42% Jimmy Kimmel Live! Guest 2020-2021
No Score Yet 55% Late Night With Seth Meyers Guest 2020
No Score Yet No Score Yet Martha & Snoop's Potluck Party Challenge Guest 2019
No Score Yet 48% The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Guest 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet Desus & Mero Guest 2017
100% 86% Jane The Virgin Stacy (Guest Star) 2017
No Score Yet No Score Yet Last Call With Carson Daly Guest 2016