Why One of Hollywood's Up and Coming Actresses Chooses to Wait Until Marriage
Yvonne Orji isn't insecure when it comes to her faith.
As a star on HBO's hit show "Insecure," she could be tempted to embrace a promiscuous lifestyle, but she's decided to remain sexually pure until marriage and the reason is her faith in God.
In an industry where sexuality is glorified, Orji did something very few actors do -- have a deep conversation with God.
"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?" The actress told People Magazine: "It was like, OK, I know why I'm here. It's to make you proud."
While some may view Orji's decision to remain pure as a deeply personal decision, she says she's not ashamed.
"I'm open, because why not?" she said. "I'm grounded in who I am. People ask about it because they're curious, or they may not understand. How will they ever get understanding 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."
Orji, an immigrant from Nigeria, and a graduate from George Washington University with a degree in public health, may not seem like the ideal candidate for a leading role on a television show. However, Orji is all about breaking the mold and connecting with people.
She says she enjoys being a role model for many people in the black community and the rest of the nation.
"So much is happening in our community, in our nation, and now we get a chance to look on television and see a version of ourselves that we can actually relate to. I think that's what speaks to the heart of a lot of people. It's super cool to be in the middle of that," she says.
