Regina Askia-Williams (born 16 December 1967; Age: 56 years old) is a Nigerian actress and former beauty queen who won the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) pageantry in 1989.
Regina used to be married to American engineer Rudolph “Rudy” Williams. The marriage produced 2 children before ending in divorce after a few years. The marriage led to the absence of the Full Moon (1998) actress from the movie industry after she relocated to the United States to start a family and a career as a certified family nurse. Below is more about them.
Who is Rudolph “Rudy” Williams, Regina Askia’s Husband?
Best known as Big Rudy, Regina Askia’s husband, Rudolph Williams, was born in 1960. He is about 7 years older than the 56 years old Regina, who was born on December 16, 1967.
According to an article about Regina Askia-Williams on Wikipedia, Rudy is the nephew of Ron Everett – also known as Maulana Ndabezitha Karenga. Ron is an American activist, author, and professor of African Studies known for creating pan-African and African-American holidays in Kwanzaa. More into his family, he is reportedly the grandson of Fess Williams, an American jazz musician.
Focusing on Rudolph Williams’s career, he is a software engineer and tech expert who has been able to build computer software programs. Some of the programs he has built are software programs for stock exchange trading while working with the New York Macantech. According to Regina Askia, he was also able to build a missile tracking device while at Gromacs.
Despite the success that he may have recorded in his own right, more to his fame is being married to an actress, model, and family nurse practitioner.
Timeline of Regina Askia’s Love Life With Rudy
The Actress’ Marriage to Rudy was Her Second
Both the former MBGN and her engineer husband were previously married but divorced. On the part of Regina, she was married to an Igbo Nigerian businessman, Charles Okorie “Orie,” but the marriage lasted only a short period before it ended.
Thereafter, the actress went ahead to marry Rudy, while her ex-husband, Orie, became married to a woman named Alice Jackson in 2014. More to this, and as regards Rudy and his previous love life, he was also married to another woman before Askia.
Regina Askia-Williams Left Her Acting Career to Relocate Abroad With Rudolph
Regina Askia was one of the most daring and fascinating Nigerian actresses around the late 1990s and early 2000s. At that time, she was reported to be one of the highest-paid actors in the country. She was known for films such as Vuga (2000), Dirty Game (1998), Full Moon (1998), and Suicide Mission (1998).
However, her career was put on hold when she suddenly disappeared from the movie industry sometime in the 2000s. News soon broke that her absence was due to her marriage to Rudy and relocating to America, where she took a job as a certified family nurse.
How She Met and Married Rudy
Regina Askia-Williams has kept a great part of her relationship with Rudy under wraps, and as such, the information as regards how they met remains shadowy. Regardless, what is certain is that she had a quiet wedding to the American-born engineer in Lagos, Nigeria, and in the presence of few people.
At the time, there were many people who did not accept her decision to be married again, especially because it was shortly after the failure of her first marriage.
Others thought that she probably left Charles to be with the American, while others thought that she only went after love. Whatever the case, the marriage lasted while it could, and it enjoyed more privacy than several other celebrity unions in Nigeria.
The Marriage Produced Two Children
Rudy had a child from his previous relationship, while Regina equally had a daughter named Stephanie Idara with a French lover. Nevertheless, as a couple, they had 2 children – a daughter named Olympia Williams and a son named Rudolph Williams.
Here is everything to know about Regina’s children.
1. Stephanie Idara
Born on February 28, 1994, 30-year-old Stephanie is the first child of Regina Askia. She is a digital creator and model. She is also the most famous of Regina’s children, as she has a knack for the screens and the entertainment industry. Professionally, Stephanie Idara has worked on a retainer with Christian Dior as an E-Commerce Brand Ambassador.
Other jobs she has been involved in asides from being a YouTuber, social media influencer, and model include working as a sales representative and clerk for brands like Zara, Sandro, and Armand Thiery. Stephanie is fluent in French and seems to love her mother’s native tongue.
On the aspect of her education, Stephanie has bagged two college degrees from Lycee International des Pontonniers and Universite de Strasbourg in France.
2. Teesa Olympia Williams
22 year old Teesa was born on January 3, 2002, not long after Regina Askia-Williams experienced the September 11, 2001 attacks on the New York Trade Centre.She is the first child from Askia’s marriage to Rudy Williams and the second child of the actress. At the time of this writing, she is a college student, a blogger, and a social media influencer with a large social media followership.
3. Rudolph “Lil Rudy” Williams Junior
Lil Rudy, as he is referred to by his family, is the youngest child of the actress. The gentle and gifted artist of the Williams family is 21 years old as he was born on June 24, 2003.
Although he lives a more private life than his siblings, he reportedly graduated from high school and does not have any interest in the movie or entertainment industry.
What Happened to Regina Askia-Williams Marriage to Rudy Williams?
According to a video uploaded by Regina Askia on Instagram in 2020, she and Rudy Williams had been divorced for over 10 years. Their divorce was on the basis of several issues bordering on verbal, domestic, and emotional abuse.
The couple severed ties after the actress claimed her ex-husband had neglected her and began to get physical with her while she, on the other hand, was verbally abusive to him. During those toxic and dark periods in their marriage, the couple chose the divorce path after putting their children into consideration.
They realized early that their children were witnesses to whatever abuse and violence they were exhibiting on their home front. At the time of the divorce, Rudy Jnr was still only a kid. In spite of the divorce and the history of abuse that may have hovered in the marriage, they are co-parenting and equally have a good civil relationship.
At the time of this writing, Regina posts and celebrates Big Rudy on social media. In one of her posts in 2021, she referred to him as “love.” While she may not have given other details, this suggests a possible comeback in their relationship – or not!