Stephanie Okereke Linus: Biography, Age, Career, Family And Movies

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Stephanie Okereke Linus: Biography, Age, Career, Family And Movies

Stephanie Okereke Linus

Stephanie Linus (born Stephanie Onyekachi Okereke; 2 October 1982) is a Nigerian actress, film director and model. She has received several awards and nominations for her work as an actress, including the 2003 Reel Award for Best Actress, the 2006 Afro Hollywood Award for Best Actress, and three nominations for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2005, 2009 and 2010. She was also the runner up for the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria beauty pageant of 2002. In 2011, she was honoured by the Nigerian government with a National honour (Member of the Order of the Federal Republic, MFR).

Early life

Stephanie Okereke was born in Ngor Okpala, Imo State. She is the sixth child of Mary and Chima Okereke’s eight children. She completed her primary & secondary education in Delta State. She studied at the University of Calabar, in Cross River State, where she graduated with a degree in English and Literary Studies.

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Career

Already during her teenage years in 1997, she starred in two Nollywood movies, Compromise 2 and Waterloo. During the 2002 Most beautiful girl in Nigeria beauty pageant, Okereke reached 2nd place. A year later in 2003, Okereke won two awards, out of the eight nominations she received, at the 2003 Reel Awards for ‘Best Actress – English’ and ‘Best Actress of the year 2003’. After graduating from the New York Film Academy in 2007, Okereke released the movie Through the Glass in which she served as director, scriptwriter, producer and actress. The film received an Africa Movie Academy Award nomination for Best Screenplay in 2009. In 2014, she released another movie, Dry and again served as a director, scriptwriter, producer, and actress which won many awards including 12th Africa Movie Academy Awards and 2016 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards best movie overall movie with the prize of a brand new car. Okereke has starred in over 90 movies.

Personal life

In April 2005, on her way to the African Movie Academy Awards held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria, Okereke was involved in a serious car accident that left her with burns all over and a broken leg.

See also  List Of Nigerian Actresses

In April 2012 Okereke married Linus Idahosa in Paris, France, at a private wedding ceremony that was attended by members of her family and scores of Nollywood actresses and actors. Their first son Maxwell Enosata Linus was born in October 2015.

Awards and nominations

Year Event Prize Recipient Result
2002 Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria Herself Runner-up
2003: What a Year Awards Best Actress Herself Won
2003 Reel Awards Best Actress – English Herself Won
Best Actress of the year Herself Won
2004: Afro-Dublin Awards Outstanding Actress Herself Won
2004 Film Makers of Nigeria Award For Excellence herself Won
2005: 1st Africa Movie Academy Awards, Best Actress in a Leading Role Herself Nominated
2006 Afro Hollywood Award Best Actress herself Won
2009 5th Africa Movie Academy Awards Best Actress in a Leading Role Reloaded Nominated
Best Screenplay Through the Glass Nominated
2010 6th Africa Movie Academy Awards Best Actress in a Leading Role Nnenda Nominated
2013 Montage Africa Women of Excellence Awards Achievement In drama and entertainment Herself Won
2015 2015 Best of Nollywood Awards Movie With the Best Social Media Dry Won
Best Actress Leading Role Nominated
Best Director Nominated
Movie Of The Year Nominated
Bentonville Film Festival Best Protagonist Won
ZAFAA Global Awards Best Actress Won
Best Film Won
Best Producer Won
Best Director Won
2016 12th Africa Movie Academy Awards Best Nigerian Film Won
Best Film Nominated
Best Director Nominated
2016 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards Best Overall Movie (Africa) Won
Best Director Nominated
Best Movie West Africa Nominated
Pan African Film Festival Programmers’Award Narrative Feature Won
Nafca Best Actress In Leading Role Won
Best Overall Movie Won
Best Director Nominated
Best Screenplay Nominated
Best Drama Film Nominated
DALA awards Face of Nollywood (Female) Herself Won
2017 Truth Awards Best Supporting Actress Boonville Redemption Won

Filmography

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Year Film Role Notes
1997 Compromise 2
Waterloo
2002 Pretender with Patience Ozokwor and Tony Umez
Blind Justice with Tony Umez
2003 Aristos
Emotional Crack with Ramsey Nouah, Dakore Egbuson and Patience Ozokwor
Genesis of Love
Private Sin with Genevieve Nnaji, Richard Mofe-Damijo and Patience Ozokwor
Queen Sheba
The Cross of Love with Patience Ozokwor
Together as One
2004 Beautiful Faces with Ini Edo
Critical Decision with Genevieve Nnaji, Richard Mofe-Damijo & Mike Ezuruonye
Deep Loss with Desmond Elliot
Diamond Lady: The Business Woman
Dream Lover Benita
Eye of the Gods with Ini Edo
In the Name of Love with Desmond Elliot
Last Girl Standing
Magic Moment Stephine Okereke with Desmond Elliot
Mama-G in America with Patience Ozokwor
Miss Nigeria
More Than a Woman
My Mother My Marriage
Official Romance with Zack Orji
Promise & Fail with Desmond Elliot
Promise Me Forever with Genevieve Nnaji
Right Man for Me with Tony Umez
Sensational Spy
Strength of a Woman
To Love Again
Virgins Night Out
Working Class Lady with Rita Dominic
2005 A Time to Die
Days of Bondage Lucia
Guys on the Line with Rita Dominic
Lonely Hearts with Ini Edo
Ola… the Morning Sun with Pete Edochie
Omalinze Adaugo with Onyeka Onwenu
Price of Ignorance with Pete Edochie
Princess of Wealth
Royal Battle
Street Fame
Windfall
Woman on Top
2006 Behind the Plot with Desmond Elliot
Daytime Lovers Binta with Tony Umez
Efficacy with Desmond Elliot
Shut In
Sitanda directed by Izu Ojukwu, this film received 9 nominations and won 5 awards at the
3rd African Movie Academy Awards in 2007, including Best Picture & Best Nigerian Film.
The Law Students
The Preacher
Upside Down with Patience Ozokwor and Tony Umez
2007 A Time to Love Hope with Desmond Elliot
Governor’s Wife with Ramsey Nouah
2008 Mission to Nowhere
Hidden Treasure Nadine with Ramsey Nouah, Nadia Buari & Olu Jacobs
Through the Glass Ada with Garrett McKechnie, Christy Williams, Pascal Atuma
2009 Nnenda this film, directed Izu Ojukwu, received 3 nominations at the African Movie Academy Awards in 2010, including the nomination for Heart of Africa
Reloaded Weyinmi with Ramsey Nouah, Desmond Elliot, Rita Dominic & Nse Ikpe Etim
2014 Dry Dr Zara with Liz Benson
2015 Make Me Fabulous
2016 Boonville Redemption Doris with Pat Boone, Ed Asner, Diane Ladd and Richard Tyson
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