Osas Ighodaro - Biography, Age, and Net Worth

July 2024 · 10 minute read

Osas Ighodaro (Real Name: Osariemen Martha Elizabeth Ighodaro, born 26 October 1990) is a 33-year-old) Nigerian American actress, producer, host, and humanitarian with a net worth of about $1million. She is best known for winning the 2010 Miss Black USA and for her role in “Rattlesnake: The Ahanna Story”.

Osas is one of Nigeria’s most significant assets occupying the country’s entertainment industry. Her excelling career is among the many reasons why the country’s movie industry receives positive ratings across the world.  Not only is she ranked among famous people in the world, but she is also among the richest and most talented actresses in the USA and Nigeria, with her name gracing various top-rated magazines worldwide.

Summary of Osas Oghodaro’s Biography

What is Osas Ighodaro’s Tribe?

Osas is an indigene of Edo state, South-South Nigeria. She shares the same state with the likes of Waje, Adesua Etomi-West, Thelma Okoduwa-Ojiji and even the famous Yoruba actress, Mercy Aigbe. However, she was born and raised in the United States of America, particularly in the Bronx, New York.

Not much is known about Osas’ parents and siblings but she has older siblings, including her sister Joy who while pregnant a few years ago had visited Nigeria. Unfortunately, she caught malaria during the visit, leading to complications which resulted in her untimely demise with her yet unborn baby. Her mother Patricia Imuetinyan Ighodaro (nee Oriakhi) equally passed away in November 2020.

Academic-wise, Osas Ighodaro is a well-enlightened woman. She attended Pennsylvania State University where she obtained her first degree in broadcasting journalism with dual minors in entrepreneurship and theatre. She further obtained a master’s degree in fine arts from the Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University.

Who is Osas Ighodaro’s Father?

Osas Ighodaro’s father is Mr Ighodaro, an Edo man who resided with his wife and family in the United States of America. Osas is yet to reveal her father’s qualifications and what he does for a living, but from the actress’s lifestyle you could tell that her father was a middle-class man.

Osas gives credit to her parents, particularly her father for playing a role in her rise to fame in the entertainment industry. She said it was her father’s idea to put her through modeling school at the time she was battling with low self-esteem.

It was his decision to help her see her true beauty and become confident in herself by enrolling her on modeling school. His dreams came to fruition when she eventually pursued it as a career and was eventually a winner of Miss Black USA.

Osas Ighodaro Began Her Showbiz Career as a Model

Osas may today be known for her career diversities which, of course, include singing, dancing, and acting. But years back, she was only known in the modeling sector. The beauty queen began her modeling career as a teenager. She grew up being bullied by her schoolmates. As a result, she suffered low self-esteem, not proud of her skinny body.

To help her come through her situation, her parents sent her to modeling school which she did for about a year before returning to school. After graduating from modeling school, she got a postcard asking her to take part in an American co-pageant, and out of 147 girls, she was the third runner-up, earning up to $60 from it.

Heeding her father’s advice, she joined the industry and made her first income. Gaining more confidence and experience, Osas took part in more pageantries and was paid handsomely. Aside from her modeling career, Osas also worked as a receptionist every Saturday morning until she finished high school.

While pursuing her master’s degree, the entertainer participated in the Miss Black USA pageant in 2010 to pay for her semester in school. She participated and became the first Nigerian-American to be crowned Miss Black USA in the pageant’s 26-year history. This happened just after she was crowned as Black Connecticut US. Osas stayed in the States and continued to work as a model until her return to Nigeria.

Her Foray into Acting

Finding her love in performing arts, Osas Ighodaro also took part in many theatrical productions, including The Colored Museum, Revenge of the King, Platanos and Collard Greens and For Colored Girls.

Getting further into the world of acting, Osas received more key roles in films, including The collector, Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns, Migrations, and Cadillac Records. Films like Cardillac Record, which was executive-produced by Beyonce, have her sharing the screen with the likes of Josh Alscher, Tammy Blanchard, and Eric Bogosian

While she was still in the USA, she ranked amongst the Top 3 National finalists in the American Black Film Festival/NBC Universal Star Project – monologue competition.

In 2012, Osas visited Nigeria with the intention of spending only six months and returning to the United States, however, things changed. She saw different virgin opportunities in the Nollywood industry she could leverage to push her career to another level.

She received great job offers, including the TV series Tinsel, where she played Adanna (Danny). She also got a fascinating job as Maltina Dance All reality TV show host. Since her return to Nigeria, the multitalented actress has been featured in several top-rated Nollywood films.

A good example of her most worthy films is the 2020 Nigerian thriller action film Rattlesnake: The Ahanna Story, which had her sharing the screen with some of Nigeria’s biggest actors like  Chiwetalu Agu, Omotola Jalade Ekeinde and Ayo Makun (AY).  Some of her latest films include The Ghost and the Tout Too, Bad Comments, and Man of God.

Osas Ighodaro’s Movies

Osas Ighodaro’s TV Shows Include:

Theatre

What is Osas Ighodaro’s Net worth?

Osas Ighodaro’s net worth is estimated at $1 million, an amount she generated from her career diversities that mostly include modeling, acting, show hosting, and ambassadorial deals. She also lists herself as an entrepreneur. In 2018, she emerged as the highest-grossing Nollywood actress.

The 33-year-old actress still occupies the top list of highest-paid actresses in Nigeria as of the time of writing this piece. She shares the list with the likes of Funke Akindele Bello, Genevieve Nnaji, Rita Dominic, and Toyin Abraham.

How Much Is Osas Ighodaro Paid Per Movie Role?

It is not clear how much Osas Ighodaro earns per movie role but it is said that A-list actresses like her earn as much as N10 million per script. Meanwhile, a list released by the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria (CEAN) shows that the figure an actor earns is mostly based on the total earnings of the movies at the Gross Box Office.

Hence, in 2018, the beautiful actress was listed as the highest-paid actress for the year. This is based on her two movies – Merry Men (2018), and King of Boys which grossed N235 million and N226 million respectively. She is also believed to have earned massively from the 2020 Nigerian thriller action film Rattlesnake: The Ahanna Story which grossed ₦70 million at the box office, and for which she was awarded “Best Actress in a Drama” at the 2022 AMVCA.

Other top-grossing films Osas Ighodaro may have earned meaningful from income include The Ghost and the Tout Too (grossing ₦134 million), Bling Lagosians (grossing ₦120 million), Bad Comments (grossing ₦66 million), and New Money, grossing ₦41 million at the box office.

Other Ways Osas Ighodaro’s Net Worth of $1 Million Accrue

Acting and modeling are not the only major areas Osas accumulates her jaw-dropping income. One of the many other ways is through the businesses she possibly owns. The actress lists herself as an entrepreneur although there are no known businesses directly linked to her.

Osas may have also made meaningful income from hosting shows with one of her biggest shows being the Maltina Dance All where she was the host for about two years (2013-2015). She also co-hosted the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards in 2014.

While the actress is yet to reveal the exact amount she is paid as a show host, we gather that celebrities like her earn as much as $57,000. This, of course, depends on the agreement between the celebrity and the company.

Osas Makes Meaningful Income as a Producer

In their bid to make meaningful income from their own films without major interference from studio heads, most actor venture into movie production. Osas joined this league and luckily for her, it has paid off.

The actress also produces films some of which have gained positive ratings. She is also said to own a production company named Joy of Art Media and Entertainment. The Company aims at producing content that both entertains and creates a positive impact.

She Earns More Money From Brand Endorsements

Celebrities as beautiful as Osas benefit a lot from signing endorsement deals with top companies seeking to market their brands. The actress uses various media platforms, (including her Instagram account with over 1 million followers) to market products for some companies in Nigeria and get paid for it. Over the years, she has worked as an ambassador for brands like Polo Avenue, Maltina, and Glo among others.

In 2015, she became the new face of Polo Avenue, one of Nigeria’s foremost luxury goods companies. In 2018, she bagged yet another ambassadorial deal with Medplus Pharmacy. She also became a landowner after signing a deal to become an ambassador for Throne Homes, a real estate company. Some of the known brands the Nigerian-American actress is promoting include:

Osas Ighodaro Awards

The 33-year-old Nollywood actress has had a number of gigs from being on the cover of magazines like Made magazine to winning several notable awards. Some of these awards include:

Osas Owns a Charity Organisation Called Joyful Joy Foundation

Osas is not only popular for her work as an actor, host, and brand ambassador. Her humanitarian deeds have also helped to announce her across the globe. She launched her non-profit organization called Joyful Joy Foundation in 2013, three years after winning Miss Black USA in 2010.

The foundation which was officially opened on Sunday, October 27, 2013, at the Avenue Suites on Tiamiyu Savage, Victoria Island, Lagos, was created to immortalize her sister who passed away after suffering from malaria complications.

As founder of the ‘Joyful Joy Foundation’, Osas remains deeply committed to ending Malaria, and preventable diseases and supporting poverty alleviation in Africa.

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