Yvonne Orji
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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Yvonne Orji
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
21% |
|
Vacation Friends 2 | Emily (Character) | - | 2023 |
87% |
|
The Blackening | Unknown (Character) | $17.7M | 2022 |
No Score Yet |
|
Yvonne Orji: A Whole Me |
Self, Screenwriter, Executive Producer |
- | 2022 |
No Score Yet |
|
Insecure: The End | Self | - | 2021 |
No Score Yet |
|
Yearly Departed | Host | - | 2021 |
58% |
|
Vacation Friends | Emily (Character) | - | 2021 |
96% |
|
Spontaneous | Agent Rosetti (Character) | - | 2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Yvonne Orji: Momma, I Made It! |
Self, Screenwriter, Executive Producer |
- | 2020 |
27% |
|
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 | 55% | 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 | 61% | Late Night With Seth Meyers | Guest | 2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Martha & Snoop's Potluck Party Challenge | Guest | 2019 |
No Score Yet | 50% | 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 |