There are multihyphenates, and then there’s Ufuoma McDermott, who parlayed her supermodel status into a successful acting career starring in many blockbuster films, winning hearts in the process. In fact, Ufuoma’s iconic modeling and acting career needs zero introduction but did you think we’d get to the end of this first few lines without mentioning her marriage to Steven McDermott? No way! Here’s everything about the actress you should know.
Ufuoma McDermott: Age and early life
Ufuoma Stacey Egenrbor McDermott was born on April 21, 1981. She was born in Benin Edo State but her parents are from Delta State. At the tender age of seven, his father gave her a pet name “Isio” which means “Star” in their native Urhobo language. The name was inspired by the star actress of the TELEFEST program put together by NTA Benin, “The Pot of Life”. After her birth, her parents moved a lot in search of greener pastures.
Ufuoma attended Alama Private School Jos, Plateau state. When her parents left Jos, she was enrolled at Tunwase Nursery and primary school Ikeja, Lagos before she was moved to Molly International Nursery and primary Ajao Estate where she completed her primary education. Ufuoma attended Federal Government College, Odogbolu, Ogun State for her secondary education. She studied the French language at the University of Lagos through a Federal Government scholarship holiday program. Ufuoma also has a Master’s Degree in Public and International Affairs from the University of Lagos. She also has other certifications and diplomas locked away in a box.
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Much later in her career, she enrolled for an acting course at the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles and later on a film making course from Dov Simen’s Hollywood Film Institute. Ufuoma also holds a certificate in Human resource management from the London Business School. She is 39 years old.
Ufuoma McDermott: Modeling and Acting Career
Ufuoma started her career as a photographic model in the show business in the year 2000. In 2001, she contested and won the Miss Ebony pageant show. She was crowned Miss Congeniality for her involvement in the “Miss Commonwealth” pageant show. she continued to enter the modeling world with much confidence and contested in many pageant shows. In 2002, she was named the first runner up for “Queen Africa” pageant show, in 2003, she finished as the first runner up in the ‘Queen of All Nation” pageant show. In 2004, she contested for the “Miss Nigeria” pageant show and finished as the first runner up. However, she broke the curse of the first runner up prize the same year by winning “Miss Earth Nigeria”.
Ufuoma decided to try out a new challenge by transitioning into an actress something that is so familiar in the modeling world. Her acting debut came in 2004 when she played a supporting role as a detective in the film “The President Must Die”. The same year, she appeared in four more films including the series “Edge of Paradise” where she played the role of Chibuzor, a widow. The film was produced by the Royal Roots network.
Ufuoma soon grew to be a force in Nollywood and became the type of actress film producers want to work with. She played the role of Lillian Wrighton in the entertaining series “My Mum and I.” which helped in announcing acting career properly. She has appeared in all over 50 Nollywood films and when the cinema film business became alive in Nigeria, Ufuoma’s place in the industry was not neglected. In 2016, she played the role of Ify, the unfaithful wife of Richard Mofe Damijo in the film “Okafor’s Law” which starred actors like Blossom Chukwujekwu and Omoni Oboli.
In 2017, her film “Christmas Is Coming” was released in cinemas. She wrote and directed the movie. Ufuoma also played the lead role of Henri Atta, a tomboy who suffers a string of misadventures after undergoing a makeover by her flatmates in the movie. Chioma Chukwuka and Deyemi Okanlawon also portrayed their characters so well. The same year, she appeared in Omoni Oboli’s “Wives on Strike: The Revolution”.
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In 2018, Ufuoma played the role of Professor Oghogho in the Nigerian comedy film “What Just Happened” starring Segun Arinze, Mike Ezuruonye, and Toyin Abraham. She also appeared in “AY Makun’s film “Merry Men 2“. Ufuoma has won many awards in the modeling world. In her acting career, she has only won the City People Awards for the Best Actress Category in the film “Christmas Is Coming”. she has also been nominated in various industry awards in Nollywood.
Marriage
Ufuoma married Steven McDermott on 23 April 2010. Her personal life and husband’s occupation is kept far away from the prying eyes of the media. The couple has two children; a son named, Isio Jared born on October 10th, 2012, and a daughter, Kesiena Alize, born August 8th, 2015. On May 23rd, 2014 at a Lagos high court, she officially changed her name to Ufuoma McDermott. The actress and supermodel is worth a fortune.
Image source: City people Online