Stephanie Okereke Linus (born as 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 of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic, MFR. Stephanie is also a scriptwriter, a Producer and a Director.
Early life and education 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 and 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.
Career While she was still a teenager in the year 1997, she starred in two Nollywood movies; Compromise 2 and Waterloo. During the 2002 Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria beauty pageant, Okereke reached 3rd 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.
In March 2017 she was appointed as a Regional Ambassador for the UNFPA, and she held this position until 2020.
In March 2021, as part of her campaign against gender-based violence on the female folk, the actress released two short movies (which she produced) titled The Student and Bad Police.
In 2024 she was awarded the Lennox K. Black International Prize for Excellence in Medicine by Thomas Jefferson University.
Personal life In April 2005, on her way to the Africa 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.
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. They welcomed their second son in May 2022, seven years after their first son.
Okereke and her husband celebrated their 13th Anniversary on 19 April 2024.
Awards and nominations
YearEventPrizeRecipient Result2003 What a Year Awards Best ActressHerself2003 Reel AwardsBest Actress - EnglishHerselfBest Actress of the yearHerself2004 Afro-Dublin AwardsOutstanding ActressHerself2004Film Makers of Nigeria Award For Excellenceherself2005 1st Africa Movie Academy Awards, Best Actress in a Leading RoleHerself2006 Afro Hollywood Award Best Actressherself20095th Africa Movie Academy AwardsBest Actress in a Leading RoleReloadedBest ScreenplayThrough the Glass2010 6th Africa Movie Academy AwardsBest Actress in a Leading RoleNnenda2013Montage Africa Women of Exllence AwardsAchievement in drama and entertainmentHerself20152015 Best of Nollywood AwardsMovie With the Best Social MediaDryBest Actress Leading RoleBest Director Movie of the YearBentonville Film FestivalBest ProtagonistZAFAA Global AwardsBest ActressBest Film Best ProducerBest Director201612th Africa Movie Academy AwardsBest Nigerian Film Best Film Best Director2016 Africa Magic Viewers Choice AwardsBest Overall Movie (Africa)Best DirectorBest Movie West AfricaPan African Film FestivalProgrammers'Award Narrative FeatureNafcaBest Actress In Leading Role Best Overall Movie Best Director Best Screenplay Best Drama Film DALA awards Face of Nollywood (Female)Herself2017Truth AwardsBest Supporting ActressBoonville Redemption
Filmography Year Film Role Notes 1997Compromise 2Waterloo 2002Pretenderwith Patience Ozokwor and Tony UmezBlind Justicewith Tony Umez 2003AristosStarEmotional Crack Crystalwith Ramsey Nouah, Dakore Egbuson and Patience OzokworGenesis of LovePrivate Sinwith Genevieve Nnaji, Richard Mofe-Damijo and Patience OzokworQueen ShebaThe Cross of LoveLyndawith Patience OzokworTogether as One 2004Beautiful Faceswith Ini EdoCritical Decisionwith Genevieve Nnaji, Richard Mofe-Damijo & Mike EzuruonyeDeep Losswith Desmond ElliotDiamond Lady: The Business WomanDream LoverBenitaEye of the GodsPrincess Ekemmawith Ini EdoIn the Name of Lovewith Desmond ElliotLast Girl StandingThildaMagic MomentStephine Okerekewith Desmond ElliotMama-G in Americawith Patience OzokworMiss NigeriaRubyMore Than a WomanTriciaMy Mother My MarriageOfficial Romancewith Zack OrjiPromise & Failwith Desmond ElliotPromise Me ForeverBukkywith Genevieve NnajiRight Man for Mewith Tony UmezSensational SpySandraStrength of a Womanwith Emeka IkeTo Love AgainVirgins Night OutWorking Class Ladywith Rita Dominic 2005A Time to Diewith Olu Jacobs, Emeka EnyiochaDays of BondageLuciawith Clarion Chukwura, Muna ObiekweGuys on the Linewith Rita DominicLonely Heartswith Ini EdoOla... the Morning Sunwith Pete EdochieOmalinzeAdaugowith Onyeka OnwenuPrice of Ignorancewith Pete EdochiePrincess of Wealthwith Saint ObiRoyal Battlewith Laide Bakare, Amaechi Muonagor, Saint ObiStreet Famewith Nnamdi Eze, Tony Goodman, Saint ObiWindfall with Pete Eneh, Emeka IkeWoman on Topwith Uche Elendu, Andy Chukwu, Ifeoma Anyiam 2006Behind the Plotwith Desmond ElliotDaytime LoversBintawith Tony UmezEfficacy with Desmond ElliotShut InSitandaAnndirected by Izu Ojukwu, this film received 9 nominations and won 5 awards at the 3rd Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2007, including Best Picture & Best Nigerian Film.The Law StudentsThe PreacherUpside DownNnekawith Patience Ozokwor and Tony Umez 2007A Time to LoveHopewith Desmond ElliotGovernor's Wifewith Ramsey Nouah 2008Mission to NowherePamelaHidden TreasureNadinewith Ramsey Nouah, Nadia Buari & Olu JacobsThrough the GlassAdawith Garrett McKechnie, Christy Williams, Pascal Atuma2009Nnendathis film, directed Izu Ojukwu, received 3 nominations at the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2010, including the nomination for Heart of AfricaReloadedWeyinmiwith Ramsey Nouah, Desmond Elliot, Rita Dominic & Nse Ikpe Etim2013Doctor BelloBola Ayodejiwith Tony Abulu, Tina Amuzian, Hakeem Abdulrahman2014DryDr Zarawith Liz Benson2015Make Me Fabulous2016Boonville RedemptionDoris with Pat Boone, Ed Asner, Diane Ladd and Richard Tyson2019Miracle in the ValleyDoris with Emily Hoffman, Pat Boone, Edward Asner2021ClashLolo Chinyerewith Pascal Atuma, Michelle Akanbi
References
External links
Official Website