Yul Edochie is one of Nollywood's most recognisable faces — and one of its most controversial. The Nigerian actor built two decades of screen credits, a film academy, and a devoted following, only to see it overshadowed in 2022 when he publicly announced a second wife and a secret child. The fallout — divorce proceedings, a high-profile lawsuit, and very public family rifts — has defined his public image ever since.
Source: Facebook
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Yul Chibuike Daniel Edochie was born on 7 January 1982 in Lagos, Nigeria.
- He made his Nollywood debut in 2005 and broke through with Wind of Glory in 2007.
- In April 2022, he publicly announced actress Judy Austin as his second wife and revealed a secret son.
- First wife May Yul-Edochie filed for divorce in 2023, demanding ₦100 million in damages.
- In March 2023, their eldest son Kambilichukwu died aged 16 after a seizure at school.
Profile summary
Field | Details |
Full name | Yul Chibuike Daniel Edochie |
Date of birth | 7 January 1982 |
Place of birth | Lagos, Nigeria |
State of origin | Anambra State |
Nationality | Nigerian |
Height | 1.71 m |
Education | University of Port Harcourt (BA, Dramatic Arts) |
Occupation | Actor, director, producer, politician |
First wife | May Yul-Edochie (m. 2004; separated 2022) |
Second wife | Judy Austin Yul-Edochie (m. 2022) |
Children | 6 |
Father | Pete Edochie |
Early life and education
Yul Edochie — full name Yul Chibuike Daniel Edochie — was born on 7 January 1982 in Lagos, Nigeria. He was named after the Russian actor Yul Brynner. He is from Anambra State and is the son of actor Pete Edochie, the youngest of six children.
Yul attended Lillian's Day Nursery School and Robinson Street Primary School in Enugu from 1984 to 1992. He then attended the University of Port Harcourt, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in dramatic arts.
Is Yul Edochie a graduate?
Yes. He studied at the University of Port Harcourt, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Dramatic Arts. His father, Pete Edochie — full name Peter Uwadiegwu Ogugua Edochie — is a veteran Nigerian actor born on 7 March 1947.
Source: Original
Yul Edochie's Nollywood career
The Nollywood actor made his debut in 2005 with the film The Exquires, starring alongside Justus Esiri and Enebeli Elebuwa. His breakthrough came in 2007, when he appeared alongside Genevieve Nnaji and Desmond Elliot in Wind of Glory.
Renowned for his deep baritone voice and exceptional acting skills, Yul has made a significant impact on Nollywood. He has appeared in over 80 Nollywood movies, including Royal Maid (2015), Passion of a Prince (2017), The Billionaires (2018), and the TV series Royal Castle.
Film academy and directing
In 2015, Edochie established a film academy in Lagos. Known as the Yul Edochie Academy, it is located in Ajah, Lagos. He debuted as a director with Secret Pain (2007) and later wrote and directed Native Girl (2018).
Awards
His accolades include Best New Actor of the Year (English) at the 2009 City People Entertainment Awards, Best Actor at the 2013 Pamsaa Awards, and Best Actor of the Year (English) at the 2013 City People Entertainment Awards. Most recently, in February 2026, the Directors Guild of Nigeria honoured Yul Edochie with the Most Outstanding Actor of the Year 2025 award, recognising his consistent contributions and impact in the Nigerian film industry.
Politics
In 2017, Edochie ran for governor of Anambra State and was the gubernatorial candidate for the Democratic Peoples Congress political party.
The second wife: does Yul Edochie really have a second wife?
This question changed everything. Edochie made headlines in April 2022 when he publicly introduced Judy Austin as his second wife and announced their first child—a move that stirred controversy and drew public sympathy for his first wife, May Edochie.
Judy's real name is Muoghalu Uchechukwu Judith, and she is a Nigerian actress, movie producer, and model who hails from Anambra State. Judy Austin was first married to Emmanuel Obasi before her relationship with Yul became public.
Yul Edochie's second wife — the denial
In a dramatic twist, Yul Edochie told the court he was not married to Judy Austin, responding to a lawsuit filed against him by his first wife, May Edochie. Yul told the court that his connection with Judy Austin was all about skit-making and that there was no legally recognised union between them.
Yet his public actions told a different story. On Judy Austin's birthday, he made it clear that he had no intention of walking away. He shared the following message on Instagram:
Happy birthday to you Nwunye Odogwu, Ijele Odogwu, Ijele Isi Mmili ji Ofor, Okwulu Okalisia. @judyaustin1 My love. May your new age be filled with countless blessings. May God be with you always, grant you your heart’s desires and give you many more wonderful years so you can achieve all you're destined to achieve and give me 3 more beautiful children. Love you forever.
May Yul-Edochie: the divorce and the lawsuit
Edochie married May Aligwe at age 21; she was one year younger than him. The couple had three sons and a daughter together but separated in 2022 after he announced he had taken a second wife.
May filed for divorce and also requested ₦100 million in damages from Judy Austin for having an affair with her husband. May considered Yul's marriage to Judy null because her husband had married her under the 1970 Marriage Act, which does not allow a spouse to take more than one partner at a time.
May Aligwe filed for divorce in 2023 and, although they are currently estranged, the divorce has not been finalised. As recently as February 2025, the legal battle took another turn when May's lawyer, Emeka Ugwuonye, shared fresh details, saying the court held a compulsory conference as part of the process.
How many kids does Yul Edochie have with Judy Austin?
On 27 April 2022, Yul revealed he had married fellow actor Judy Austin, with whom he shares two sons. They welcomed their third child, a baby girl named Universe Ifeyinwa Storm Yul-Edochie, in May 2025.
Yul's children with his first wife, May, are Kambi, Dani, Karl, and Victory Zane Chukwubuike. In total, Yul Edochie has six living children (plus his late son Kambilichukwu).
The tragedy of Kambilichukwu
Amid the family drama, the family suffered a devastating personal loss. Kambilichukwu reportedly died after collapsing and suffering a seizure while playing football at school in 2023. He had just turned 16.
Speaking on The Honest Bunch Podcast, Yul recalled his final moments with his son:
That morning, he came into my room before going to school. We talked and joked about his height because he was quite tall. We gisted and laughed, then he left. About three hours after, they called me. I came to the hospital and I saw him dead.
Yul Edochie subsequently indicated he was ready to take legal action against the school, accusing its management of negligence.
Family rifts: Pete Edochie and his brothers
The fallout reached Yul's Edochie family. Yul Edochie made front-page news after reports surfaced that he had blocked his two elder brothers, Leo and Linc Edochie, on Instagram. The reasons behind his actions remain unknown, but netizens speculated they relate to issues surrounding his marriage to Judy Austin.
Legit.ng reported that Yul also addressed his father Pete Edochie's criticisms of his second marriage in a clip from the KAA Truth Podcast, where he was asked how he felt when his father said he was unaware of the second marriage.
Latest news
In May 2025, Yul Edochie and Judy Austin welcomed a baby girl. Edochie announced the news on Instagram, expressing gratitude to God and describing her arrival as an answer to prayers. He wrote:
We prayed, our fans prayed. And God answered. Rejoice with us as we welcome our beautiful daughter. Her name is UNIVERSE IFEYINWA STORM YUL-EDOCHIE. Thank You Lord.
In February 2026, the Directors Guild of Nigeria honoured Yul with the Most Outstanding Actor of the Year 2025 award. In May 2026, Yul sparked controversy by reportedly blocking his brothers on social media, raising speculation about ongoing family issues tied to his marriage to Judy Austin.
Most recently, the actor announced his return to Christian and traditional worship, stating that God told him to lead his people back to their roots. He has used social media to defend this stance—as recently as in October 2026, he publicly disagreed with a popular clergyman over the legitimacy of traditional religious practices.
Yul Edochie's net worth
Sources differ on the precise figure. According to BuzzNigeria, Yul Edochie has an estimated net worth of $2 million, amassed through acting, endorsement deals, scriptwriting, producing and directing movies, his film academy, and real estate. Legit.ng's 2026 ranking of the richest Nollywood actors places his wealth closer to $1.85 million.
His income sources include:
- Acting fees — reportedly between ₦400,000 and ₦1 million per lead role
- Film production and scriptwriting
- Endorsement deals, including OROS fragrance and Longrich
- His Yul Edochie Academy in Ajah, Lagos, which charges approximately ₦60,000 per student
- Real estate investments in Nigeria
FAQs
- Does Yul Edochie really have a second wife? Yes. He publicly announced Judy Austin as his second wife in April 2022. He later denied the marriage in court, claiming their relationship was purely professional, but he has continued to celebrate her publicly on social media.
- Is Yul Edochie still with Judy Austin? Yes. Despite rumours of a split and his court denials, Yul has continued to publicly affirm his relationship with Judy Austin, and the couple welcomed a baby girl in May 2025.
- How many kids does Yul Edochie have with Judy Austin? Yul Edochie has two sons and a daughter with Judy Austin; their daughter was born in May 2025.
- Who is May Yul-Edochie? May Yul-Edochie (née May Aligwe) is Yul's first wife. They married in 2004 and had four children together. She filed for divorce in 2023 and demanded ₦100 million in damages from Judy Austin.
- Who is Yul Edochie's father? His father is Pete Edochie, a veteran Nigerian actor. Pete is widely regarded as one of Nollywood's greatest actors and has spoken publicly about his disapproval of Yul's second marriage.
- Is Yul Edochie a graduate? Yes. He attended the University of Port Harcourt, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in dramatic arts.
- How many children does Yul Edochie have in total? He has six children — four with May Yul-Edochie (including the late Kambilichukwu) and two sons plus a daughter with Judy Austin.
- What is Yul Edochie's net worth? Estimates from multiple sources place his net worth at approximately $1.85 million to $2 million, earned across acting, directing, endorsements, and his film academy.
Quick facts
- His breakthrough film was Wind of Glory (2007), co-starring Genevieve Nnaji.
- He founded the Yul Edochie Film Academy in Lagos in 2015.
- He ran for governor of Anambra State in 2017.
- The Directors Guild of Nigeria honoured him as Most Outstanding Actor of the Year 2025.
- He has publicly returned to a blend of Christian and traditional Igbo worship.
Yul Edochie is a Nollywood actor whose successful career has been overshadowed by marital controversies and public family disputes. His relationship with Judy Austin sparked widespread criticism and shifted attention away from his acting achievements. Whether he can rebuild his public image and regain the spotlight for his work remains to be seen.
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Source: Legit.ng