In this post, Platinum Times Nigeria archives the biography and career achievements of veteran Nollywood actress, Stella Damascus.
Stella Damasus is a multi-talented Nigerian actress, singer, author and producer who is based in the United States of America.
She won the Award for Best Actress at the Nigeria Entertainment Awards in 2007 and in 2012, she won the award for Best Actress for the movie Two Brides and a Baby at the Golden Icons Academy Awards in Houston, Texas.
She is a graduate of the University of Lagos.
Profile summary
Name: Stella Damasus
Born: April 24th, 1978
State of origin: Delta State, Nigeria
Education: University of Lagos
Religion: Christianity
Marital status: Divorced
Career: Actress, Entrepreneur
Birth
Stella Damascus was born on April 24th, 1978, in Benin City, Edo State but hails from Delta State, Nigeria.
She grew up with her four sisters and parents in Benin City where she completed her elementary and secondary education.
Education
Before relocating to the United States, Stella pursued a degree in Theatre Arts at the University of Lagos, honing her acting skills and preparing for a successful career in the arts field.
Career
Damasus started her career as a singer in Lagos where she used to work as a studio session singer at the famous Klink Studios owned by filmmaker Kingsley Ogoro.
There she honed her skills as singer and went on to do vocals for the top jingles on radio and TV in Nigeria at that time.
Her entry into the film industry was in 1992 when she featured in the movie, “Abused”.
Her second film, Breaking Point, which was directed by Francis Agu and produced by Emem Isong, is what made her famous in Nigeria.
She was nominated for the African Movie Academy Award in 2006 for “Best Actress in a Leading Role” for her performance in the movie “Behind closed doors”.
In 2008, she was also nominated for the African Movie Academy Award for “Best Actress in a Leading Role” in the movie “Widow” and in 2009 in the movie “State of the Heart”.
She has gone on to star in over 70 movies and is now the co-founder of I2radio where she hosts two podcast shows, Undiluted with Stella Damasus and When Women Praise.
Movies
Stella has starred in several Nollywood movies which have earned her public recognitions, some of them are;
- Rattlesnake
- Face of a Liar
- Rumours
- Submission
- Real Love
- Behind Closed Doors
- Standing Alone
- When God say yes
- Yankee Girls
- Four sisters
- Halimat
- Affairs of the Heart
- Between
- Gone amongst others.
Personal life
Stella’s grace, elegance, and prowess have earned her respect and admiration within the entertainment industry.
Damasus married her first husband, Jaiye Aboderin, at 21 in 1999.
The couple had two daughters, Angelica and Isabel before Jaiye died suddenly in 2004 after a basketball game.
Damasus found love again and remarried in 2007, this time to Emeka Nzeribe.
The marriage lasted for seven months before a mutual agreement to divorce.
In 2011, she became associated with multiple award-winning Nollywood producer & director Daniel Ademinokan.
Their relationship sparked a lot of controversy because both parties never publicly admitted to be dating, engaged or even married until 2014.
In 2020, they both separated and subsequently filed for a divorce.
Philantropy
Stella has devoted her time to several philantropic deeds for the benefits of women, children and less privileged individuals.
She runs an NGO, Stella Damasus Arts (SDA) Foundation, a non-profit organization established to provide economic, intellectual, and emotional support to the society, using the Arts as its primary tool.
The Foundation launched its Free Arts Training Program and opened its doors to its first set of students on the 16th of May 2011.
As an Advocate and Philanthropist, Stella has worked with several organizations.
Several of these include serving as the Women’s Ambassador for the non-profit Globally Igniting Africa (GIA), supporting Lamboginny’s “Say No to Crime” campaign, serving as an Ambassador for Women4africa, Project Alert’s effort to combat domestic violence, and the World Food Program’s assistance to the people of Liberia.
She has also collaborated with a Cameroonian organization that supports cancer patients and serves as an ambassador for the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
Stella founded the ADIVA capacity-building and mentoring program as a result of her fervent desire to defend the rights of women and young girls everywhere.
As a multi-talented entertainer, Stella expresses herself by educating and entertaining people through various forms of media such as, An African Girl Abroad, An Actors Playhouse, Excuse my African, Daily Dose.
Awards
She was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2009.
She won the Award for Best Actress at the Nigeria Entertainment Awards in 2007.
In 2012, she won the award for Best Actress for the movie Two Brides and a Baby at the Golden Icons Academy Awards in Houston, Texas.
Net worth
With over two decades in the entertainment industry, Stella has accumulated a net wealth of over $1 Million.