Grass to Grace series (29): Nancy Isime’s rise from losing mum and contemplating suicide to movie star

Multi-talented actress Nancy Isime is always a joy to watch. The Edo entertainment guru has made her mark in pageantry, presenting, and acting, captivating viewers with her A-list skills, effortless beauty, and great fashion sense.

Nonetheless, Nancy’s rise to fame wasn’t a walk in the park. It stemmed from a strong desire to succeed, which drove her on a relentless quest for success. In this “Grass to Grace” series, we will look at Nancy’s journey to fame.

An Unpleasant Childhood

Nancy was born on 17th December 1991 to an Esan family. She lost her mother when she was just five years old and was raised solely by her disciplinarian father. Her mother’s passing was a significant blow, leading to depression and even suicidal thoughts, as she and her mother had a close bond.

In an interview, Nancy said, “I lost my mum at five. I didn’t have a smooth childhood. I suffered from depression and attempted suicide once during my childhood. That was the only time, but I managed to get through it, and I’m still here today. Some people have time to grow through life, but I had to mature quickly. Losing your mum at five exposes you to many things you shouldn’t experience. I started working at 17.”

Although she had her primary and junior secondary education in Lagos, she moved to Benin for senior secondary school education. Determined to change her circumstances, Nancy left Benin after finishing her secondary education. She took a six-month basic course at the University of Port Harcourt and then moved to Lagos to pursue a Diploma in Social Work at the University of Lagos.

Nancy had initially considered becoming a lawyer (her dad’s choice), surgeon, or geologist. However, Nancy started a entertainment career as an usher, working for different companies.

Compliments about her physique being suitable for modelling led her to pursue a career as a model. Despite her looks, it took several auditions before she was selected to participate in the Miss Valentine International pageant in 2009, which she won.

She then competed in the Miss Telecoms Nigeria pageant, where she came in second. Nancy went on to model for major fashion brands like House of Marie, Lanre Da Silva, and Ade Bakare. However, she decided to take a break from modelling to focus on her acting and TV presenting career.

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Light! Camera! Nancy!

In a Punch interview, Nancy revealed that her foray into acting began in 2011 when a Ghanaian movie producer spotted her during a runway show in Ghana and offered her a role in the TV series Echoes. Although she initially wasn’t interested in acting and considered a career in aviation, she eventually found her passion in acting.

Since then, Nancy has starred in over forty movies, including the Netflix series Blood Sisters in 2022, where she played the lead role of Kemi. The show was produced by Ebonylife TV, owned by Mo Abudu. In 2023, she appeared as Shalewa in Shanty Town. Other notable works include Obaram, A Trip to Jamaica, Merry Men, Living in Bondage, and She Must Be Obeyed.

Presenter Extraordinaire

Nancy not only has the looks but also the voice, and, of course, as an excellent presenter, she only needs the “action” prompt to have the audience spellbound.

Her first presenting job was The Squeeze, produced by Ultima Studios. While with Ultima Studios, she also hosted the technology show What’s Hawt and the Project Fame red carpet sessions.

During this period, she was invited for a screen test for Trending on HipTV, which she successfully secured, replacing Toke Makinwa as the host in 2016. In 2019, Nancy launched her own TV show, The Nancy Isime Show, and co-hosted the Headies awards with Reminisce. In 2020, she co-hosted the Headies awards again, this time with Bovi. In 2021, she hosted The Voice Nigeria.

Awards in the bag

In 2017, Nancy Isime won The Future Awards for Best On-Air Personality (Visual). In 2018, she received the City People Choice Award for Most Promising Actress (English). In 2019, she won the City People Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress (English).

In 2022, she was nominated for Best Actress in a Comedy and Best Actress in a Drama at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards. In 2023, she won the Eko Heritage Award for Most Stylish Personality. She has also received many other nominations and awards.

Nancy’s star continues to shine brightly as she, at 32, remains dedicated to her craft, bringing her characters to life, evoking emotions in her audience, and setting fashion trends. From a troubled childhood to a determined adult, Nancy Isime has transformed into a remarkable actress, presenter, and model.