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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
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75% Insecure: The End
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Yvonne Orji: Momma, I Made It!
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33% Yearly Departed
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Filmography

Movies TV Shows
Vacation Friends 2 21% 38% 2023 Emily Actor The Blackening 87% 85% 2022 Actor Yvonne Orji: A Whole Me 40% 2022 Self, Screenwriter, Executive Producer Insecure: The End 75% 2021 Self Yearly Departed 33% 2021 Host Vacation Friends 58% 55% 2021 Emily Actor Spontaneous 96% 68% 2020 Agent Rosetti Actor Yvonne Orji: Momma, I Made It! 2020 Self, Screenwriter, Executive Producer Night School 27% 38% 2018 Maya Actor
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