( CNN ) -- With her glamorous looks and exceptional talent , Nigerian movie star Genevieve Nnaji is one of Africa 's most successful actresses . The screen diva -- dubbed the Julia Roberts of Africa -- has starred in dozens of films , enchanting millions of movie fans across the continent . The 31-year-old actress is considered to be a poster girl for Nollywood , the booming Nigerian movie industry , which according to UNESCO , is the world 's second-largest film producer after India 's Bollywood . Nnaji has been performing in front of the camera from the age of 8 . She is now one of Africa 's most instantly recognizable faces and has won several accolades , including the 2005 African Academy Movie Award for Best Actress . CNN 's Pedro Pinto caught up with Nnaji before her latest movie premiere in London to discuss fame and her passion for Nigeria . An edited version of the interview follows . CNN : Do you see yourself as an ambassador for your country ? Genevieve Nnaji : As long as you are a celebrity and in the public eye , you are an ambassador because you are the person they see -- they ca n't see the whole continent , they ca n't see the whole country . CNN : How would you describe Nigeria to people who 've never been there ? GN : Nigeria is a unique and a peculiar country , and as the people , we are too . CNN : Why peculiar ? GN : Because everything , every aspect of human nature is in every Nigerian -- the good , the bad , the ugly , it 's just like another New York . Nigeria is fun , to be honest . But when ... all we have people talking about when it comes to Nigeria is crime and fraud and things ... that 's just a very very minute number of people . Nigerians on the whole are very confident people . I believe we are confident , I believe we are very resourceful and we are very hospitable when it comes to visitors in the country . CNN : When you look at your country , what are some of the things that you love about it ? GN : I like that as Nigerians we have some sort of neighborly love that we do n't understand . We have a way of coming to the rescue of complete strangers . We do have that bond and I think it has to do with our background and how we are raised ... .I would never live anywhere else to be honest , no . CNN : Really ? GN : No , I grew up in Lagos , I was born and bred there and I do n't see myself leaving that town any time soon . I can work anywhere else but in terms of living , I 'm used to Lagos . CNN : How does it make you feel when people are screaming your name constantly ? GN : You never get completely used to it , like the last time I was here for the other premiere -- `` Bursting Out '' -- it was pretty overwhelming . I just thought , is this my life , all these people actually loving and appreciating me for who I am ? It 's very humbling to be honest , I must say I 'm blessed . CNN : When did you realize that maybe this could be your future , this could be your career ? GN : I do n't think I ever realized that , for a long time I kept thinking , OK , this is just temporary , definitely I 'm going to go back to school and read law , English or something that I wanted to do . So I never fully accepted acting as my profession . I do n't think I saw myself there but somehow ... here we are , I am an actor . CNN : Do you ever get the feeling when you wake up in the morning one day that you wish you were n't famous ? GN : Oh yes , I do n't even need to wake up , just sitting down sometimes I 'm like , God , sometimes I hate my life . But I ca n't complain . CNN : You have been referred to as the African Julia Roberts . When you hear that , what do you feel ? GN : Thanks to Oprah ( Winfrey ) , it 's very , very flattering , I mean not just because I 'm compared to ( Roberts ) but because of who compared me to her . So it 's an honor to be honest but I think it 's probably the vein we have on the forehead , I think that 's what we have in common . CNN : What do you wish for your future , where do you see yourself ? GN : I want to be further challenged in my career , I do n't think I have reached my peak necessarily so I hope for other opportunities , greater opportunities to express myself . Mostly because there is still something inside of me that I just feel I have n't let out and it 's really trying to come out and trying to burst loose so I 'm hoping for that opportunity ... I just want that story , that story that challenges me even further .
Nigerian actress Nnaji is millions of Africa 's most recognizable faces . She 's been called the Julia Roberts of Africa . The Nnaji star says Nigeria is `` just like another New York '' Nnaji says she would n't live anywhere but Lagos .