- Nollywood veteran actress Iya Rainbow clocked 82 on Wednesday, October 16, 2024
- Fans, colleagues and families celebrate the movie legend with 59 years acting career
- Recognising Iya Rainbow’s journey through Nollywood, TheRadar also celebrated the iconic veteran actress
More known for her nickname, Iya Rainbow, Veteran Nigerian actress Idowu Philips has clocked 82 with stunning pictures.
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a step, and for Iya Rainbow, her bold step to leave nursing for acting wrote her name in the sand of time.
With over 200 film appearances, the veteran actress has proved herself worthy of the tag ‘Old but Gold’—an iconic role model to many emerging and established acts in the Nollywood industry.
Active in Nollywood since 1965, Iya Rainbow has worn 59 years of acting on her sleeves. She has been passionate and consistent to date.
On Wednesday, October 16, the veteran actress shared stunning photos of herself via her official Instagram handle as she marked 82 years in gorgeousness.
“+1 today! I am 82 years old today. Thank you, Daddy. Turning 82 doesn’t mean the end of anything. It means the beginning of another year with a full eight decades of wisdom am still your baby family,” she wrote.
Iya Rainbow also appreciated God for his mercy, love, and protection over her throughout the years. Similarly, fans, colleagues, and family have shared warm messages to celebrate the movie legend.
How Iya Rainbow came to be
Many may not know how Iya Rainbow got her name despite its popularity. For some, it may be a movie character. For others, assumptions may be the best answer.
In a 2006 interview, Iya Rainbow revealed how she got her iconic name in Nollywood. She said her late husband’s theatre group was called Osumare Theatre—meaning rainbow.
For Idowu Philips, her name changed the day she went to act with some white men. When asked what Osumare meant, she replied that it was a rainbow. From that moment on, she took on her widely recognised name, Iya Rainbow, Mama Rainbow.
The tremendous journey of Iya Rainbow in Nollywood
The Ogun State-born veteran actress started her acting career as a stage actress with her late husband's group, Osumare Theatre Group. She combined her acting career with her nursing path.
However, in 1986, when she was 45 years old, she left her nursing job to face acting head-on as a full-time job. This was an attempt to walk the path of her late husband, Augustine Ayanfemi Phillips, who died in 1984, and keep the family legacy running.
Before his death, her late husband worked with Sir Herbert Ogunde, the patriarch of the Nigerian film industry.
From earning peanuts during her early acting years in Aje Ni Iya Mi and Eru, Iya Rainbow has earned her name and preserved her family legacy through the turbulent yet remarkable journey in the Nigerian film industry.
From her breakout film, Asiri Nla, by Jide Kosoko, to numerous Nollywood titles, Iya Rainbow has proved her acting prowess on screen.
Some of the films she has featured in include Abortion: A Yoruba Story (1994), Ekundayo (1994), Ayo The Queen (1995), Back to Africa (1997), Double Marriage (1997) and Sugar Rush (2019).
She was recently honoured with the Industry Merit Awards alongside Richard Mofe-Damijo at the 2024 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA).
5 unforgettable characters that made Patience Ozokwor a Nollywood icon
Earlier, TheRadar reported that renowned actress Patience Ozokwo, popularly known as Mama G, is one of the most memorable faces in the Nollywood industry, and her track record is quite commended.
In celebrating the iconic screen diva, who turned 66 on Saturday, September 14, 2024, TheRadar spotlighted five unforgettable characters that solidified Patience Ozokwor in Nollywood
