Enuka Okuma
// (listen)Enuka Vanessa Okuma (/ɛˈnuːkə oʊˈkuːmə/; born September 20, 1976) is a Canadian actress, best known for her role as detective Traci Nash in the Global/ABC police drama series, Rookie Blue (2010–2015). Okuma is also known for her work on the Canadian television series Madison (1994–1998) and Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye (2002–2005). She appeared in the first season of TV soap-opera Hillside as the scheming and conspiring Kelly.[1]
Enuka Okuma | |
|---|---|
Okuma at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival | |
| Born | Enuka Vanessa Okuma September 20, 1976 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1990–present |
| Spouse | Joe Gasparik (m. 2011) |
| Website | www |
Early life
Okuma was born in Vancouver, British Columbia.[2] She is of Nigerian descent, from the Igbo people[3] and is a graduate of Simon Fraser University's School for the Contemporary Arts.[4][5]
Career
Early work: 1990s
In 1990, she began her career on television, appearing as regular cast member during the first season of the teen soap opera, Hillside.[6] Throughout the 1990s, she also played supporting roles in several made for television films and Canadian television series, such as Madison.[6] She eventually made her feature film debut with a supporting role in Double Jeopardy (1999).
Transition from teen roles: 2000s–present
Okuma co-starred in the American crime drama series Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye from 2002 to 2005.[7] She guest starred on various hit television series, including Dark Angel, Odyssey 5, Cold Case, Grey's Anatomy and NCIS: Los Angeles. She had the recurring role as Marika Donoso on the seventh season of the Fox series 24.
In 2010, Okuma began starring in the Global/ABC police drama series, Rookie Blue as detective Traci Nash.[8] When being interviewed about how she got her role on Rookie Blue, Okuma said:
I originally auditioned for the part of Gail [played by Charlotte Sullivan] and Charlotte auditioned for Traci. When we got the parts, I said, "I think I would rather play Traci" and Charlotte said, "I think I would rather play Gail." Thankfully, the producers thought the same.[9]
Okuma was cast as one of lead characters in the ABC pilot, The Adversaries,[10] in 2015. That year, she also guest starred as Nia Lahey on the hit series How to Get Away with Murder.[11]
She joined the series Workin' Moms in 2021 as recurring character Sloane Mitchell and became a full-time one the following season.[12]
Voice work
Okuma provided the voice of Lady Une in the English dub of Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, Jade on the Canadian animated series Shadow Raiders, and also voiced the gem fusion Rhodonite in Steven Universe. She provided the voice for the character Tau Idair in the game Star Wars: The Old Republic.[13]
Writing and directing
Okuma made her directorial debut with the short film, Cookie, on which she was also a writer, actor, and executive producer.[14][15]
Okuma co-wrote the episode "Best Man" on Rookie Blue.[16]
Awards
For her role in Madison, she was nominated for Best Performance in a Children's or Youth Program or Series at the 1995 Gemini awards.[17] The following year, also for Madison, she was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role.[18]
Okuma won a Women In Film award at the 1999 Vancouver International Film Festival for her role in Daydrift.
For her role on Rookie Blue, Okuma was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Series at the 2011 Gemini awards[19] and the Canadian Screen Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program or Series in 2013.[20]
Personal life
On July 2, 2011, she married musician Joe Gasparik in Toronto, the city where they first met while working on a television show together. Gasparik proposed to Okuma on a beach in Vancouver after three years of dating.[21][22]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Double Jeopardy | Parolee | |
| Daydrift | Lucy | ||
| 2000 | G-Saviour | Cynthia Graves | Television film |
| 2000 | Reindeer Games | Cocktail Waitress | |
| 2001 | Josie and the Pussycats | Fashion Team | |
| Suddenly Naked | Andrea | ||
| Sea | Sarah | ||
| 2003 | House of the Dead | Karma | |
| 2009 | What Colour Is Love? | Beverly Rivers | Television film |
| Stolen | Officer Angie Riddick | ||
| 2017 | Battle of the Sexes | Bonny | |
| 2020 | The Sleepover | Elise | Netflix film |
| Eat Wheaties! | Michelle |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | MacGyver | Young Club Member (as Vanessa Okuma) | "The Gun" |
| 1991 | Hillside | Kelly (as Vanessa Okuma) | 13 episodes |
| 1993–1997 | Madison | Sheri Davis (as Enuka Vanessa Okuma and as Vanessa Okuma) | 5 episodes |
| 1998 | Da Vinci's Inquest | Summer | 2 episodes |
| NightMan | Singer/Crystal | 3 episodes | |
| Shadow Raiders | Jade (voice) | 10 episodes | |
| 1999 | The City | Kira | 5 episodes |
| 2000 | Mobile Suit Gundam Wing | Lady Une (voice) | English dub |
| Dragon Ball Z | (voice) | Ocean Group/AB Groupe/Westwood Media English dub | |
| These Arms of Mine | Adrian | 2 episodes | |
| 2001 | Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz | Lady Une (voice) | English dub |
| Andromeda | Sofia/Isabella Ortiz! | "Last Call at the Broken Hammer" | |
| 2002 | Da Vinci's Inquest | Maria | 2 episodes |
| 2002–2005 | Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye | Lucy Dotson | 56 episodes |
| 2006 | Cold Case | Alice Stallworth in 1948 | "Sandhogs" |
| 2007 | Grey's Anatomy | Teresa Brotherton | "Physical Attraction... Chemical Reaction" |
| 2009 | 24 | Marika Donoso | 4 episodes |
| 2009 | Medium | Julie Skahan | 1 episode |
| 2010–2015 | Rookie Blue | Traci Nash | 74 episodes |
| 2015 | How to Get Away with Murder | Nia Lahey | 2 episodes |
| 2016 | Slasher | Lisa-Ann Follows | 4 episodes |
| Masters of Sex | Cleo | "Coats or Keys" | |
| 2017–2019 | Steven Universe | Rhodonite (voice) | 5 episodes |
| 2018 | Caught | KC Williams | 5 episodes |
| Impulse | Deputy Anna Hulce | Main character | |
| 2019 | A Million Little Things | Sandra | 2 episodes |
| 2021 | Frankie Drake Mysteries | Toni Freedmon | "Sweet Justice" |
| 2021-present | Workin' Moms | Sloane Mitchell | Main role |
References
- ^ "Opera News Detail". lucky-wap-ams.op-mobile.opera.com. Retrieved 2022-08-09.
- ^ . Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
- ^ "15 HOLLYWOOD Actresses with NIGERIAN Roots". October 2016.
- ^ "Celebrating Black History Month – Enuka Okuma". Retrieved 24 December 2022.
- ^ Wong, Sara (2021-03-07). "Enuka Okuma: from SFU to stardom". Retrieved 24 December 2022.
- ^ a b "Crushable Quotable: Rookie Blue Star Enuka Okuma Got Her Start on Canadian Teen Dramas with Ryan Reynolds". Crushable. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
- ^ "Q&A with F.B.Eye: Enuka Okuma | Sue Thomas F.B.Eye | The Official Site of the popular TV Series | The Official Site of the popular TV Series Sue Thomas F.B.Eye". suethomasdvd.com. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
- ^ "The Cultural Post". 9 September 2010. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
- ^ "Rookie Blue's Enuka Okuma Talks Her Role and Future With Sam - The Cable TV Blog". cableinternet.tv. Retrieved 2016-06-20.
- ^ Petski, Denise (11 March 2015). "Dilshad Vadsaria Joins Fox's 'Frankenstein'; ABC's 'The Adversaries', 'The Catch', 'LA Crime' Add Cast - Deadline". Deadline. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
- ^ "Someone's Dying on How to Get Away With Murder Tonight & We Think It'll Be..." E! News. 29 October 2015. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
- ^ Lang, Sarah (2022-12-06). "Workin' Moms Star Enuka Okuma Bids the Show Farewell". Retrieved 24 December 2022.
- ^ "Enuka Okuma". IMDb. Retrieved 2021-12-01.
- ^ "Cookie". 1 May 2011 – via IMDb.
- ^ . cinemawithoutborders.com. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
- ^ "Rookie Blue's Enuka Okuma Accepts a New Challenge - The TV Junkies". The TV Junkies. 30 June 2015. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
- ^ "The 1995 Gemini nominees". playbackonline.ca. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
- ^ "Special Report: Gemini Nominees: Who's nominated". playbackonline.ca. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
- ^ "New series scoop Gemini nominations". CBC News. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
- ^ "Enuka Okuma on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
- ^ "enuka okuma - the official site". Retrieved 17 March 2015.
- ^ "Actress Enuka Okuma's Movie-Inspired Wedding". Inside Weddings. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
External links
- Enuka Okuma at IMDb