Ufuoma McDermott Biography

Ufuoma Stacey McDermott, April 23, 1981, better known as Ufuoma McDermott formerly known as Ufuoma Ejenebor, is a Nigerian film-maker, actress, and former model. Ufuoma emerged as 1st runner-up (2nd position) in the 2004 Miss Nigeria beauty pageant.

Wiki Profile

Real Name:	Ufuoma Stacey McDermott
Date of Birth:	April 23, 1981
Place of Birth:	Benin City
Nationality:	Nigeria
Marital Status:	Married
Occupation:	Actor, Presenter, Producer, Film Director and Former Model
Net Worth	$1million – $5million

Early Life and Childhood

Ejenobor was born on April 23, 1981 in Benin City to Urhobo-descendant Nigerian parents from Delta State. She moved frequently, first from Benin City to Jos, where she spent the majority of her toddler years, and then to Lagos, where she has lived for the majority of her life and continues to reside.

Her father gave her a nickname when she was seven years old: ISIO (which means “star” in Urhobo). She was named after the star actress of the TELEFEST programme put together by NTA Benin, The Pot of Life.

Education

For her nursery and primary education, she attended Alama Private School in Jos, Plateau State, Tunwase Nursery and Primary School in Ikeja, Lagos, and Molly International Nursery and Primary School in Ajao Estate.

She then completed her secondary education at Federal Government College in Odogbolu, Ogun State.

Ufuoma later earned a French language degree from the University of Lagos, where she participated in a Federal Government scholarship holiday program.

She also has Alliance Française and NIIT certificates and diplomas.

She has a master’s degree in Public and International Affairs from the University of Lagos as well.

In 2011, she enrolled in an acting course at the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles, followed by a filmmaking course at Dov Simen’s Hollywood Film Institute. She earned a certificate in human resource management from the London Business School in 2013.

She participated in the Relativity Education program from Nigeria, which is owned by Relativity Media in Beverly Hills, in the summer of 2015.

Career

She began her entertainment career as a photographic model in 2000 and later moved on to the runway and beauty pageants.

Pageantry

By 2002, she had competed in two mini-pageants, won the Miss Ebony beauty pageant, and competed in her first national pageant, Miss Commonwealth (Vanessa Ekeke), where she received the Miss Congeniality award.

Later that year, she was named first runner-up in the Queen Afrik beauty pageant (Tamilore Kuboye).

In 2003, she competed in the Queen of All Nations beauty pageant (Dubra Fufeyin), finishing as the first runner-up once more.

In 2004, she competed in the Miss Nigeria beauty pageant, finishing first runner up. Soon after, she was crowned Miss Earth Nigeria and went on to represent the country at the Miss Earth 2004 pageant.

Acting

Ejenobor decided to pursue a career in film in February 2004. Beginning with Zeb Ejiro’s The President Must Not Die, she has continued to appear in films.

She made her directorial debut in Life and Death in May 2005, her third film after The President Must Not Die and Guy on the Line.

By December 2005, she had landed the role of Chibuzor in the Royal Roots network’s Edge of Paradise TV series.

In 2008, she landed the role of “Lillian Wright” in the TV series My Mum and I, for which she was nominated for best actress at the 2010 Festival de Télévision de Monte-Carlo and The Terracotta Nigerian TV and Film Awards. At the Future Awards, she was nominated for Actor of the Year 2011.

McDermott reprised her roles as “Mama Baby,” “Women Call Leader,” and “Sister Esther” in the stage production Hear Word!, which returned to Harvard for the second year in a row and was staged at the prestigious American Repertory theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.A. in January 2018.

The production explores a variety of themes that address societal issues affecting women. The play, which premiered in Lagos, Nigeria in 2014, also stars Joke Silva, Taiwo Ajayi-Lycett, Elvina Ibru, and Bimbo Akintola.

McDermott revealed at the premiere of her directorial debut, Christmas Is Coming, that she began writing the story for the film in 2013. The film, however, was released in November 2017, just before the Christmas holidays.

With the release of What Just Happened in Nigerian cinemas in 2018, she earned her sophomore production credit.

Awards

Nigerian French Village (2003)
African heart foundation at The African Fashion show (2007)
African Youth Society (2009)
Delta Entertainment Awards (2015)
City People Awards (2017)

Personal Life

Ufuoma Ejenobor got married on April 23, 2010 to Steven McDermott. She officially changed her name to Ufuoma McDermott on May 23, 2014, at a Lagos high court.