Forever Fayetteville

Back in May, blaxploitation film icon Pam Grier was in Wilmington, North Carolina. She was in 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. Her films Jackie Brown, Foxy Brown, and Coffy helped to empower young Black women around America. One of those women, a Fayetteville native named GeGe Wall, took that empowerment and used it as a springboard for her career in fine arts. 

Eugenia M. “Gege” Wall-Carroll is the personification of “The 2-6”, or Fayetteville. She is extremely proud of her hometown. However, 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 afforded her the opportunity to move to Wilmington. In addition to work, the mother of one wanted to provide a better environment for her son, Desmond. 

Wilmington is just off the coast, minutes from Wrightsville Beach. Furthermore, Wilmington is the home of EUE/Screen Gems Studios, a 43-acre full-service production studio that offers ten stages. Since its opening in 1985, more than 400 projects including Iron Man 3 have been shot on the lot. Other productions include One Tree Hill, Swamp Thing, and Dawson’s Creek. In 2021, the FOX show Our Kind of People was shot at Screen Gems. This was just the break GeGe had been longing for. Prior to joining the cast of Our Kind of People, she had only done background roles on projects like Hightown 2. 

The Our Kind of People project helped to elevate her profile as an actress because she was featured on a show with Hollywood A-List talent like Morris Chestnut and another Fayetteville native singer/actress Tish Mone. GeGe’s hard work and dedication is finally paying 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 UNC wide receiver Marcus Wall, GeGe’s personality has always stood out among her peers and those that 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 prior to appearing in Our Kind of People. 

Appearing on the FOX show was not the pinnacle for the 43-year-old, she attended the same film festival as the legendary actress, Pam Grier. She is a part of the cast for Dope Boy Magic, in which she plays the mother (Reba) in a tale about the consequences of taking money that is not rightfully yours. Wall was in awe meeting Grier. 

“That’s Foxy Brown. She is an icon and a role model. A legend that paved the way for the culture.”, says GeGe when asked about her encounter with Grier.

Like Grier, GeGe is using her career to provide resources for other up-and-coming entertainers. The actress-producer founded GeGe Network Entertainment to serve as a hub for resources that were not available when she began her career. 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 and every activist getting active. Peace.