Pop The Balloon star Yvonne Orji's life - from rough school years to footballer ex

Yvonne Orji has had plenty of ups and downs away from her TV duties

Yvonne Orji, who is helping lovestruck singles on Netflix's Pop the Balloon Live, has a life story as compelling as the dating show.

The star was born in Nigeria in 1983 and later migrated to Maryland, America, with her family.

Facing adversity from a young age, Yvonne grappled with bullies at school who targeted her distinct Nigerian accent.

"I was bullied because I have this thick Nigerian accent," she told People Magazine in 2017.

"My mom would say, ‘We didn’t come to America for you to be popular.’ Which is fair, but as a kid, you’re just like, it would be really nice to have this thing that everyone else has," she explained.

Now at 41, the actress and comedian reminisces about her earlier ambitions, which surprisingly didn't include comedy. After bagging a master's degree in public health from The George Washington University, pursuing healthcare seemed unlikely for Yvonne.

Big break

Yvonne never intended to pursue a career in stand-up comedy until an unexpected beauty pageant demanded that she showcase her talent.

In search of divine inspiration, Yvonne found her calling through prayer.

Revealing to Andscape magazine in 2018, she said: "It was honestly God. I participated in a pageant and was told I needed a talent, but I didn't have one.

"I remember praying, and God told me to do comedy. I immediately thought to myself, 'Are you sure?' because I don't do jokes, but I will trust in you. I did comedy for the pageant, and people laughed," reports the Mirror US.

But it wasn't just beginner's luck; she discovered a new destiny: "I assumed it was a one-time thing, but then I did it again and realized this is what God had [planned] for me."

Her commitment saw her move to New York to chase the stand-up dream and eventually to Los Angeles, where a challenging journey awaited her before she hit the spotlight.

Just as she contemplated quitting Hollywood, Yvonne snagged a role on HBO's smash hit show Insecure, where her portrayal of Molly Carter bagged her an Emmy nomination.

Her career trajectory has been nothing but impressive ever since.

Virginity vow

Offscreen, Yvonne has been outspoken about her decision to stay a virgin until marriage.

She opened up about her celibacy to People Magazine in 2017, declaring, "Before any of [the fame] happened, I sat down with myself and with God and thought, when I make it, how do you want me to represent you while I'm here? It was like, OK, I know why I'm here. It's to make you proud."

She doesn't shy away from discussions on her personal choice, explaining: "People ask about it because they're curious, or they may not understand.

"How will they ever get understand if I don't talk about it? I can inform your curiosity, as opposed to everyone being in the dark and just sort of creating their own narrative about it."

Famous ex

In May 2018, Yvonne took to Instagram to reveal her relationship with ex-American Football star Emmanuel Acho.

In a heart-warming post, cuddled next to her man, she wrote: "Jesus out here answering prayers on a Sunday."

Sadly, their love story came to an end in 2019. Opening up on her Jesus and Jollof podcast, she shared: "I am...newly single.

"But before you start saying 'O, oh ayaaaa. Nooooo!' Guys, hey. You see me? I'm happy. I'm actually so happy."

She went on to say: "I just have to say, the reason I am so good and so happy is because I know how God works."

Pop the Balloon Live episode one is streaming now on Netflix.