Osas Ighodaro

Osariemen Martha Elizabeth Ighodaro (born 26 October 1990), 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 on 26 October 1990 in 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.

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

Filmography

Film
 Year Title Role Notes 2006 Killa Season Shinae Video Hookers in Revolt Delilah Video My African Uncle - Short 2007 Luggage Sade's sister (singing voice) Short 2008 Across a Bloodied Ocean Nafisa Short Cadillac Records Maid  Jewslim Rochelle Whitman  2009 Notorious Party Girl  Park Sharks Neglected Girlfriend  2010 Computer Love Chastity  The Tested Sheena  2011 Computer Love Chastity  He Said, She Said: A Romantic Comedy Donna Video Psa 64 Woman Scorned 64 Short 2015 The Department Tolu Okoye Gbomo Gbomo Express Cassandra  Where Children Play Nia  2016 Entreat Margaret  Put a Ring on it Eki  2017 Idahosa Trails Osamuede  Little Drops of Happy Mano Ojo  Wurukum Roundabout -  Countdown Helen  White Pickett Fence Brenda Caldwell Short 2018 New Money Angela Nwachukwu  A Rose for Freddy Kemi  Merry Men: The Real Yoruba Demons Chidinma  We Don't Live Here Anymore Leslie  King of Boys Sade Bello  2019 My Mfon - an election day story Sola Bassey Short Bling Lagosians Demidun  Your Excellency Candy  2020 Kenim O Presents: A Second Husband Tope Short Double Strings Detective Isoken  Mama Drama Mena Drama Rattlesnake: The Ahanna Story Amara  Ratnik Sarah Bello  2021 Namaste Wahala Preemo Mamba's Diamond Eloho Action Keeping Promise Teni Drama Bad Comments Hilda Comedy The Ghost and the Tout Too Amoke Comedy / Fantasy Who Lived at Number 6 Dimma Drama 2022 Man of God Teju Knee Down Ese Single Not Searching  Kai Conversations in Transit  Adeola 2023Love, Lust and Other Things Lydia Danjuma 3 Cold Dishes  Esosa 2024When Love Strikes TinukeOlufemiKareematSomeone Like YouCiarraDramaBreakthroughAdaSafariNkiru

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

YearEventCategoryWorkResultRef2010Miss Black USA PageantMiss Black USA 20102014ELOY AwardsActress of the Year - TVTinsel2015Green October La Mode Magazine AwardsHumanitarian AwardJoyful Joy FoundationELOY AwardsBrand Ambassador of the YearPolo Avenue; Konga.comActress of the Year - FilmThe Department2016Golden Movie AwardsGolden Supporting Actress''Gbomo Gbomo Express 2016 Nigeria Entertainment Awards Supporting Actress of The Year 2021 Best of Nollywood AwardsBest Actress in a Lead RoleRattlesnake: The Ahanna StoryBest Kiss in a MovieHer Network - Woman of the Year AwardsWoman of the Year in Entertainment2022Africa Magic Viewers' Choice AwardsBest Actress in A DramaRattlesnake: The Ahanna StoryAfrica Movie Academy AwardsBest Actress in a Leading RoleMan of God2023Africa Magic Viewers' Choice AwardsBest Actress In A Drama, Movie Or TV SeriesMan of God

 See also 

 List of Nigerian actresses

References

External links
 Official website

 Osas Ighodaro Ajibade biography with Huffington Post
 Osas Ighodaro interview with Toke Makinwa

Category:Pace University alumni
Category:Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications alumni
Category:American people of Nigerian descent
Category:Nigerian television actresses
Category:Living people
Category:Actresses from the Bronx
Category:Miss Black USA delegates
Category:Nigerian beauty pageant contestants
Category:Nigerian film actresses
Category:21st-century Nigerian actresses
Category:African-American beauty pageant winners
Category:American film actresses
Category:21st-century American actresses
Category:American emigrants to Nigeria
Category:1983 births
Category:American television hosts
Category:Nigerian television producers
Category:Pennsylvania State University alumni
Category:American television producers
Category:Actresses from Edo State
Category:21st-century American beauty pageant contestants
Category:Nigerian television presenters