Famed actor Segun Arinze is an award-winning talent best known for his role in the movie in “Black Arrow”. He began his acting career in Ilorin, Kwara state in the 1980s.
He was born on 24 September, 1967 in Onitsha to a Yoruba military/businessman and an Igbo mother. He is originally from Badagry in Lagos state. Named Segun Aina Padonou at birth, he is the first of child in a family of seven.
Arinze is a multi-talented creative; he’s not just an actor, but also a director, producer, singer, scriptwriter, and a voice over artist. He studied Theatre Arts at the University of Ife, which is now known as Obafemi Awolowo University. He had mentors like American director Chuck Mike and veteran actors Gbenga Richards who he studied under.
In the starting years of his career which began over 30 years ago, he was once tagged as the bad boy of Nollywood for constantly playing hard-core roles. His passion for the arts began when he was a teenager. While he was in secondary school in 1981, he started a Glee-like club called Palm Players with a classmate. He came into the spotlight when he starred in 80s soap opera "Ripples".
The method actor has starred in several movies including “30 Days”, “Anini, “A Place In The Stars”, “Black Mamba”, “Darkest Night”, “Invasion 1897”, “Nemesis”, “Not My Will” and “Silent Night”. He has also featured on TV; in 2002 he hosted a talk show called “No Holds Barred” on African Independent Television (AIT). He has worked with some of the established names of the Nigerian movie industry including Fred Amata, Jeta Amata, Bimbo Akintola, Steve Gukas, and Izu Ojukwu.
The theatre artist once delved into music. As his music career was about to take off, his label, Premier Records told him his real name sounded 'fujiish" and did not suit his style of music. The former pop singer then changed it to the pseudonym we all know today - Segun Arinze.
In 1991, Arinze was charged with composing the theme song for the Nigeria Music and Fame Awards that year. The following year, he released his debut album titled “Dreams” under Premier Music. There are reports that he is looking at going down the music path once again.
The artist has been married twice. He was once married to “Domitila” actress Ann Njemanze with whom he has an 18-year-old daughter. He is now married to Julie with whom he has three other kids.
Watch the actor in "Invasion 1897" movie trailer: