Comedian, Yvonne Orji may still be a virgin at 39, but that doesn’t mean the journey has been easy for the talented young lady.
The comedian recently sat down with fellow comedian Chelsea Handler for her “Dear Chelsea” podcast. When asked if she was still saving herself for marriage, Orji confirmed she was.
Handler praised the decision, though the “Insecure” star did suggest it may get a bit frustrating at times.
Orji has been open about her decision to remain a virgin until she meets Mr. Right. During a 2017 interview with People, Orji expounded on what led to her decision.
“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 stated.
Her v#rginity journey is a far cry from Molly, her famous character in “Insecure,” who was known for her relationships with various men, especially an open relationship with Dro, portrayed by Sarunas J. Jackson. Handler even joked about Orji embarking on a similar lifestyle of her own whenever she finally loses her virginity.
“Yvonne went from being a virgin to polyamory,” Orji laughed when Handler suggested that the actress will “need a couple of men.”
Many fans commented on how hard it is to believe Orji is still a virgin especially because of the many sex scenes the actress had in the HBO series. However, she revealed in 2021 that the costume designer on the hit show gave her a rundown about how to make the scenes come across as believable.
The last man she was publicly linked to was Emmanuel Acho, former football star, sports commentator and founder of Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man. The two announced they were dating in 2018. However, by 2019 they broke up.
Yvonne Anuli Orji, born 2 December 1983) is an American-Nigerian actress and comedian. She is best known for her role in the television series Insecure (2016–2021), for which she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award and three NAACP Image Awards.
Orji was born on 2 December 1983, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria to Igbo parents, and she grew up in Laurel, Maryland, in the United States.
She spent her high school years in the small town of Lititz, Pennsylvania, where she attended Linden Hall, the oldest all-girls boarding school in the country. Raised Catholic, Orji is now a devout Protestant and has stated that she will remain a virgin until marriage.
She earned her Bachelor of Arts in liberal arts and a master’s degree in public health at George Washington University as well. Orji’s parents expected her to become a doctor, lawyer, pharmacist, or engineer.
However, she was inspired to do comedy as a graduate student when she performed stand-up in the talent portion of a beauty pageant.
After graduate school, in 2009, Orji moved to New York City to pursue a career in comedy.
In 2015, she landed the role of Molly on Insecure without an agent or any real acting experience.
In 2021, Yvonne Orji began development on a series for Disney+ titled First Gen. The series is based on her personal life and is produced by Oprah Winfrey and David Oyelowo. Orji is the author of the book Bamboozled by Jesus.
