Osas Ighodaro

Osariemen Martha Elizabeth Ighodaro, better known as Osas Ighodaro, is a Nigerian-American actress, television host and philanthropist. She won the 2010 Miss Black USA Pageant and founded the Joyful Joy Foundation, a fundraising organization for malaria. Ighodaro emerged as the highest-grossing Nollywood actress of 2018 and was awarded Best Actress in a Drama consecutively at the 2022 and 2023 AMVCA for her roles in Rattlesnake: The Ahanna Story and Man of God, respectively.

Early life and background Ighodaro was born in the Bronx, New York, United States, to Nigerian parents of Edo origin. She obtained her degree in Broadcast Journalism with dual minor degrees in Entrepreneurship and Theater from Pennsylvania State University. She further obtained her MA in Fine Arts from the Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and the founder of Imuetinyan Productions.

Career Ighodaro began her acting career in New York after graduating college. She started with performing in theatre plays and indie films. In 2012, she moved to Nigeria where she played acting roles in Nollywood films including Adanna in Tinsel.

Since then, she has starred in Cadillac Records, The Smart Money Woman and Gbomo Gbomo Express. Following her performance in Rattlesnake: The Ahanna Story and Man of God (2022), she was awarded the Best Actress in a Drama' awards at the 2022 and 2023 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards respectively.

Ighodaro co-hosted The Headies 2022, The Headies 2023, 2014 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards and the family show Maltina Dance All.

Osas Ighodaro won Best Actress in a Drama at the 2022 and 2023 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards for her performances in *Rattlesnake: The Ahanna Story* and *Man of God*, respectively, highlighting her continued critical success in Nollywood.

Personal life Ighodaro was married to Gbenro Ajibade in June 2015 and had their first child in 2016. They divorced shortly after.

Filmography

Film

Television Year Title Role Notes 2006 Conviction Desmond's Date Episode: "Breakup" 2007 Law & Order Model Episode: "Bling" 2010 Meet the Browns Nurse Mileen Episode: "Meet the Unwelcome Back" 2012 12 Steps to Recovery Jellybean Episode: "Jellybean and Things" Tinsel Adanna (Danni) Recurring cast: season 5 2013-14 Parallels Ruth Marshall Main cast 2013-15 Maltina Dance All Herself/host TV series 2018 EVE (Africa Magic) Sylvia TV series 2019 Shuga Sergeant Iyanu Main cast: season 7 2020 Assistant Madams Chioma Main cast The Smart Money Woman Zuri Main cast 9 episodes 2021 King of Boys: The Return of the King Sade Bello Recurring cast

Theatre

Year Title Role Company 2017 Fela & The Kalakuta Queens Malaika BAP Productions 2017 Wedding Blues Joke Lagos Theatre Festival 2016 SarafinaMary Masumbuko AFRIFF 2014 For Colored Girls (Nigerian Adaptation) Lady in Purple Fly Time Productions 2011 Dolores (by Edward Allen Baker) Dolores Actors Studio Drama School 2010 Underground Queen Poetic Theatre Production 2008 Platanos Y Collard Greens Malady Between the Lines Productions 2006 Revenge of a King Afi NYC Fringe 2005 Joe Turner's Come and Gone Martha Pentecost August Wilson Play Festival 2005 The Colored Museum Lawanda / Model Citizen Bank Theatre 2005 Ladies Night at the Cotton Club Josephine Baker Loaves & Fish Repertory 2003 Shades of Black and Grey Mia PSU Union Theatre

Awards and nominations