Joseph Benjamin (born 9 November 1977) is a Nigerian actor, model, singer, Voice-over Artist and television presenter mainly known for co-hosting MTN's Project Fame, a talent reality show, and starring in the movies Tango With Me, Mr. and Mrs., and Murder at Prime Suites. He won the African Actor of the Year award at the 2012 African Film Awards. He won "Best Lead Actor in an English film" for his role on Married but Living Single at the 2012 Best of Nollywood Awards.
Personal life Joseph was born on 9 November 1977, to a Kogi State indigene father and an Anambra State mother. Joseph Benjamin completed his primary school education in Benue State in the north-central part of Nigeria. He obtained his First School Leaving Certificate, after which he completed his secondary school education in Lagos State in the south-western part of Nigeria and obtained his West African Senior School Certificate. Joseph relocated to the United States in 2016, where he currently resides. He identifies as a born-again Christian.
Career
Early career
Joseph made his movie debut in Crossroads, in 1995 (alongside Ramsey Nouah and Sandra Achums); however, his screen debut was earlier, when he appeared at age 12 in the television program Tales by Moonlight on NTA.
Nolly breakthrough and TV personality
Since his on-screen debut in Tales by Moonlight, Benjamin has starred in several television series, including Edge of Paradise, in which he was being "crushed on" by his neighbor's daughter, and Super Story. His definite breakthrough in film came in the early 2010s, with roles in romantic-themed films such as Kiss and Tell, Tango With Me, which was nominated for five Africa Movie Awards, and Married but Living Single. He broke typecasting in 2013 by playing a detective in the crime thriller Murder at Prime Suites (MAPS), which was inspired by an actual murder case in Lagos, in which a woman first met her killer on Facebook. Shortly after completing MAPS, Benjamin joined the cast of Desperate Housewives Africa, the Nigerian remake of the American hit series, playing the role of Chuka Obi(Carlos Solis), alongside Kehinde Bankole. He co-hosted, with Adaora Oleh, MTN Project Fame West Africa between 2009 and 2016, and has appeared in TV and radio commercials.
Singer
Having sung in a choir since his early twenties, Joseph launched a career in professional singing in 2012, collaborating with singer Sabina on the album Merry Christmas that year. A devout Christian, he has since specialized in the gospel and inspirational genre with the singles Joy in 2016 and I Pour My Love in 2020. He has stated that he considers himself a musician first and foremost. He recently dropped single, and he is working on releasing an EP in 2022.
Filmography Films Year Title Role Notes1991 Cross Roads 2003 Deadly Misson Dotun 2009 Jungle Ride Akin 2009 Spellbound 2010 Kiss and Tell Iyke with Monalisa Chinda, Desmond Elliot & Nse Ikpe Etim 2010 Kidnap 2010 Tango with Me Uzo 2011 Mr. and Mrs. Ken Abbah with Nse Ikpe Etim & Barbara Soky 2011 Courier 2012 Married but Living Single Mike with Funke Akindele & Joke Silva 2012 Stripped Coco SimbaWith Ramsey Nouah, Beverly Naya, 2012 Torn With Julius Agwu, Monalisa Chinda 2012 Unfair 2012 Darkside 2012 Faith 2012 Contract KuukuWith Doris Ansah, Jasmine Baroudi, Katouchka Addaquay 2013 Murder at Prime Suites Agent Ted 2013 First Cut Kunle Lewis alongside Lisa Omorodion and Monalisa Chinda 2014 Mum, Dad, meet Sam Josiah AbiolaWith Daniella Down, Tino Orsini 2014 Few good Men FredWith Boma Adukeh, Otas Bazuaye 2014 Blind Promise 2014 Secret Box 2014 Iyore Prince Eweka – Azuwa 2014 Folly 2014 A Few Good Men Wale Feature Film directed by Ejiro Onobrakpor and featuring Deyemi Okanlawon 2015 The Grave Dust Jordan with Ramsey Nouah & Joke Silva 2015 Omoge Ofege with Femi Adebayo & Ireti Osayemi 2016 Rebecca Clifford 2017 Isoken Osaze 2017 Affairs of the Heart Eric 2020 Special Jollof with Uche Jumbo2020The Love Between UsDesmondwith Raz Ayer, Ikenna Alily, Carl Allen Jr.2021Back to Kinshipwith Stanley Enow2022StayTegawith Theo Bray2023The BargainStevewith Greg Agalaba, Sira Bah2025Baby Farmwith Rita Dominic and Genoveva Umeh
Television Year Title Role Notes 2003 Deadly Mission 2005 Just Me Kayode 2005 Travails of Faith Sam 2005–2006 Edge of Paradise Michael1 episode 2005–2006 Young, Single and free 2007 Super story 2007 Bachelors 2007 168 A love Story 2008–2013 Tinsel Tega212 episodes 2015 Desperate Housewives Africa Chuka Obi 20 episodes2015–2016Losing ControlKunle39 episodes2017ClawsRelative1 episode 2019 Greenleaf Joseph Obi 2 episodes 2019 Last Call Charles O Marley 1 episode2022 Atlanta (TV series) Black Male Actor Work Ethic!
Awards and nominations YearAwardCategoryResultRef2012Nollywood Movies AwardsBest Actor in a Leading Role (Kiss and Tell)Best Actor in a Leading Role (Tango with Me)2014Africa Movie Academy AwardBest Actor in a Leading Role (Murder at Prime Suites)2015Golden Movie AwardsGolden Actor2017Best of Nollywood AwardsBest Actor in a Lead role – English (Dance to My Beat)
References
External links