WOMAN IN THE NEWS: Judy Austin, Yul Edochie’s on-screen lover turned second wife

Judy Austin Muoghalu is another proof that controversies could sometimes be the fastest lane to fame. The actress is not new in the Nigerian entertainment landscape but has maintained a relatively low profile until Yul Edochie unveiled her as his second wife alongside their baby.

Since Edochie’s controversial post, Judy has become a viral sensation, dominating discussions on the internet while her social media pages have witnessed significant increase in terms of followers.

TheCable Lifestyle takes a close look at the film star that has left tongues wagging for days.

EARLY DAYS AND FORAY INTO ACTING

Judy was born in Umuoji, Idemilli North LGA in Anambra state. The brand influencer started out as a musician and model. While she made remarkable strides as a model, her music career, however, suffered setbacks.

“Unlike a lot of people, acting was never my dream. I had always dreamed of being a singer and a model. The modelling part I achieved but the music part didn’t really click,” she said in a 2019 interview.

Her failed stint as a musician made her consider a career in acting. The graduate of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka would later meet Silvester Maduka, the Nollywood director and producer, who taught her the ropes of acting.

In 2013, she made her acting debut in ‘Secret of the Riches’, a movie by Maduka.

She started pulling the weight of fame thereafter. In 2018, the actress came through with ‘Native Girl’ and ‘Fear’, two movies which eventually shot her into the limelight.

Judy has featured in several other movies including ‘Ernest Scared Stupid’, ‘Dance’, and Redemption, and ‘Where I Belong’.

FROM MOVIE TO REALITY: JUDY’S ‘LOVE STORY’ WITH EDOCHIE

Until last Wednesday, Edochie and Judy were known as colleagues in Nollywood.

The actor-turned-politician has directed her films before. They also share a good understanding during movie sets.

The 40-year-old actor is usually given the roles of either her husband or love interest in a number of movies they have featured together.

In ‘Native Girl’ for instance, the actress played the wife of Yul who featured in the movie as an international businessman.

Not many, however, envisaged that the actress would eventually become the second wife of her on-screen husband.

In the interview, Judy spoke about the synergy and understanding between her and Edochie and how it was easy to convince him to feature in her movie.

“Not at all (it wasn’t hard convincing Yul to feature in ‘Native Girl’). I had told him I wanted to produce a movie and that I wanted him to direct it. He simply told me to find a story that will be both strong and also different. When he saw the scripts, he had no doubts. That was how ‘Native Girl’ came to light with the help of my director, Yul Edochie,” she had said.

She also revealed that the actor supported her financially to make the project — which according to her, gulped nearly N4 million — a reality

Beyond starring as a couple in movies, Judy also celebrated Edochie with a touching note on his 40th birthday in January.

In an Instagram post, she described the actor as “my person and director extraordinary”.

“Happy fabulous birthday to his excellency @yuledochie ezigbo mmadu, director extraordinary!!!!
As you stepped on the 4th floor so shall God multiply everything that concerns you in multiple folds Amen!!!! Enjoy your day my person!!!” she wrote.

CONTROVERSIAL VIEWS ON MARRIAGE

Internet, they say, never forgets. Shortly after news of Judy’s union to Edochie broke, many social media users started circulating her past comments which appeared to “belittle” marriage.

In another interview in 2020, the actress claimed: “marriage is not an achievement”.

“We all have different opinions on sex, marriage and relationship. As for me, marriage is not an achievement. It’s something good though, a union between two people that love each other,” she had said.

On sex and relationship, she added: “I don’t believe in jumping from one man to the other. I’m a relationship kind of person. I believe in having someone, a man that you do this thing with, not giving it out to all men that cross your path.

“On relationship, I love relationships, it’s how I’m created. If a relationship doesn’t work out for you, you can decide to break up and get hooked again or give yourself a break.

“Relationship is not all about sex or emotional things. I love to have normal relationships with intellectual people, people you can learn from. So any relationship with the right person is a welcome idea.”

REACTION TO CRITICS OF HER MARRIAGE TO EDOCHIE

In her reaction to the criticisms trailing her marriage to Edochie, Judy had recently said she might share her own side of the story.

“Most times in Nigeria, we don’t have that kind of patience to hear the other part. The whole country is so hard for all of us. Even the rich complain,” she had said.

“It makes us jump to conclusions without hearing the other party. Most times, it’s not really the best thing to do.”