A former Nollywood screen goddess Regina Askia-Williams has revealed that she has no regrets whatsoever leaving the Nigeria movie industry widely known as Nollywood.
In a recount question and answer session with her fans on instagram, the actress turned nurse said she was fullfiled and contented with a real career that feed her body and soul.
The actress who was born Regina Iniobong Usoro in 1967 in Lagos, is a Nigerian born America-based family nurse practitioner (FNP), Healthcare and educational activist, TV producer, writer and public speaker who found fame as an actress and model.
She had starred in several Nollywood films.
During the 1990s and early 2000s, most of her films reach a wide audience in Nigeria and elsewhere in Africa such as Tanzania and Ghana. She became one of Nigerians acting celebrities.
Regina Asfia’s acting break came in 1993 when she played ‘gold Digger’ Tokunbo Johnson in Nigeria soap, ‘Fortunes’, later “Mega Fortunes” Non NTA network, a role which earned critical acclaim and roles in Nollywood movies. She has received several awards for performances including one for Best Actress in Nigeria by Afro Hollywood London in 2000 and has produced several TV shows and films and they are all viewers delight. Her films and other Nollywood films are regularly broadcast by Nigerian Television Networks including ITV, Star TV and the state broadcast station.
In 1988, Askia-Williams a former medical student of University of Calabar, later Lagos State University was crowned Miss Unilag. That same year, she competed in the MBGN 1988 contest, though she was allegedly the crowds favourite contestant, she emerged as the first runner up. However, she became MBGN title holder the following year when the queen Bianca Onoh resigned.
Askia had also represented Nigeria at Miss Charm International held in Leningrad, Russia and came second. She also made history by becoming the first Nigerian at Miss Intercontinental in Japan where she made an impact with the most outstanding traditional costume. After gaining public recognition in Nigeria as a beauty pageant winner, Askia – Williams started a model career.
As a model, she appeared in several Nigerian print and television commercials including Kessingsheen Hair Care, boutigue Chain collectibles and most famously visine. She also worked on several runway shows. In 2007, she modelled for 2000-N-Six face cleansing range alongside her daughter, Stephanie Hornecker.
In 2005, she hosted a fashion show at Nigerian Embassy in New York City to raise awareness for plight of children’s social amenities in Nigeria. In 2006 she hosted a Charity fashion show at Lehman College. She was compared to Elizabeth Taylor for her fame.