Fayetteville actress gets higher profile from role in Wilmington-filmed show
Back in May, blaxploitation film icon Pam Grier was in Wilmington.
The North Carolina native was in the Port City to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 20th annual North Carolina Black Film Festival. Born in Winston Salem, Grier was one of the first female lead action stars in a male-dominated film industry. Grier's films "Jackie Brown," "Foxy Brown," and "Coffy" helped to empower young Black women around America. One of those women, former Fayetteville resident GeGe Wall, took that empowerment and used it as a springboard for her career in fine arts.
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Eugenia M. “GeGe” Wall-Carroll, who grew up in the Strickland Bridge Road area, is the personification of “The 2-6” or Fayetteville. She said she is extremely proud of her hometown.
However, she said, she understands the importance of expanding beyond your comfort zone. Rather than relocating to Georgia, she opted for Wilmington. Wall graduated from Joseph Wheeler High School in Marietta in 1996, just 25 minutes from Atlanta. However, her career in the food and medical industry allowed her to move to Wilmington. In addition to work, the mother of one wanted to provide a better environment for her son, Desmond.
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Wilmington is just off the coast, minutes from Wrightsville Beach. Furthermore, it is the home of EUE/Screen Gems Studios, a 43-acre full-service production studio that offers 10 stages.
Since its opening in 1985, more than 400 projects including the feature film "Iron Man 3" have been shot on the lot and in the Wilmington area. Other productions include the television series "One Tree Hill," "Swamp Thing" and "Dawson’s Creek."
The break she needed
In 2021, the Fox drama series "Our Kind of People" was shot at Screen Gems. This was just the break Wall had been longing for. Before joining the cast of "Our Kind of People," she had only done background roles on projects, such as the second season of the TV series "Hightown," which was filmed in Wilmington.
"Our Kind of People" helped to elevate Wall's profile as an actress because she was featured on a show with Hollywood A-List talent like Morris Chestnut and Fayetteville native, singer and actress Tish Mone.
Wall's hard work and dedication finally paid off in ways that she could have never imagined.
She entered the entertainment industry in 2000 as a model, however, her true passion was acting. As the younger sister of Southview standout and former University of North Carolina wide receiver Marcus Wall, GeGe Wall's personality has always stood out among her peers and those who know her. She is always the life of the party. However, after her son graduated from Laney High School (alma mater of basketball-great Michael Jordan), she became more proactive with her acting career.
Wall appeared in multiple TV shows, short films and commercials before appearing in "Our Kind of People."
Meeting a legend
Appearing on the Fox series was not the pinnacle for the 43-year-old; she attended the same film festival as the legendary Grier. Wall is a part of the cast for "Dope Boy Magic" on the streaming platform Tubi, in which she plays the mother, Reba, in a tale about the consequences of taking money that is not yours. Wall said she was starstruck meeting Grier.
“That’s 'Foxy Brown,' Wall said. "She is an icon and a role model. A legend that paved the way for the culture."
Like Grier, Wall uses her career to provide resources for other up-and-coming entertainers. Despite being a resident of Wilmington, she is proud of her Fayetteville roots and represents Cumberland County with the utmost pride. To follow her growth, add her on Facebook at Gena GeGe Wall and on Instagram at @gege4life2021.
Salute to GeGe Wall and every activist getting active. Peace.
Rakeem “Keem” Jones is a community advocate and father of three from the Shaw Road/Bonnie Doone area of Fayetteville. He can be reached at keemj45@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Fayetteville's GeGe Wall gets roles in Wilmington-filmed projects
