Yvonne Orji facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yvonne Orji
Orji in 2017
Born	Yvonne Anuli Orji (1983-12-02) 2 December 1983 (age 41) Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
Education	George Washington University (BA, MPH)
Occupation	Actress Comedian
Years active	2011–present

Yvonne Anuli Orji, born on December 2, 1983, is a talented actress and comedian. She is Nigerian-American. Many people know her from the popular TV show Insecure. For her role in Insecure, she was nominated for a big award called the Primetime Emmy Award. She also received three NAACP Image Awards nominations.

About Yvonne Orji

Yvonne Orji was born in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. Her family belongs to the Igbo group. She grew up mostly in the United States, in Laurel, Maryland. For high school, she went to Linden Hall in Lititz, Pennsylvania. This is a very old school just for girls.

Her Education and Career Start

Yvonne went to George Washington University. She earned two degrees there. One was a bachelor's degree in liberal arts. The other was a master's degree in public health. Her parents hoped she would become a doctor or an engineer.

However, Yvonne found her passion in comedy. While she was in graduate school, she performed stand-up comedy. This happened during the talent part of a beauty pageant. That moment inspired her to become a comedian.

Moving to New York and Big Break

In 2009, after finishing school, Yvonne moved to New York City. She wanted to start a career in comedy. In 2015, she got a big acting role. She was cast as Molly in the TV show Insecure. What's amazing is that she got this part without an agent or much acting experience!

In 2021, Yvonne started working on a new TV series for Disney+. It is called First Gen. This show is based on her own life story. Famous people like Oprah Winfrey and David Oyelowo are helping to produce it. Yvonne has also written a book called Bamboozled by Jesus.

Hosting and Voice Acting

Yvonne has also hosted several shows. In 2021, she co-hosted the International Emmy Awards. She also hosted a dating show called My Mom, Your Dad on HBO Max in 2022.

In 2023, Yvonne used her voice for a character named Tess. Tess is in the animated show My Dad the Bounty Hunter. Also in 2023, Yvonne made a special deal with Sony Pictures Television. This deal means she will work with them on new projects for two years.

Helping Others

Besides her acting and comedy, Yvonne cares a lot about helping people. She has done a lot of charity work.

Work in Liberia

In 2008 and 2009, she spent six months in Liberia. Liberia is a country in Africa that was recovering from conflict. Yvonne worked with an organization called Population Services International (PSI). This group helps people learn about healthy behaviors.

While in Liberia, Yvonne worked with young people. She helped them create a mentoring program. She also helped start a weekly talk show. This show taught people how to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Current Charity Work

Today, Yvonne continues to help others. She is an ambassador for (RED). This group works to fight global health issues. She is also a Literacy Champion for Jumpstart. This program helps young children learn to read. She also works with JetBlue for Good, which supports various community projects.

Film and TV Roles

Yvonne Orji has appeared in many movies and TV shows. Here are some of her notable roles.

Movies

Television Shows

Awards and Nominations

Yvonne Orji has been recognized for her acting talent.