Chioma Umeala’s Acting Journey: A Story of Triumph
Chioma Umeala’s acting journey has taken three giant leaps in three major acting disciplines. Theatre, the small screens, and then straight into Hollywood—with advertisements in between—affirming her deepest inclination that she belonged in this very industry.
The one of five children was born in Johannesburg to a South African mother and a Nigerian father, and describes her upbringing as a unique one and allowed her to see the world through a different lens. As her oyster, on which she can flex all her talents.
The beginning of her desire to pursue acting was met with a little resistance from her parents, who wished for her to pursue something else instead. “A solid career.” But her stubborn character pushed her forward.
“By the time they let me go to AFDA and then subsequently Indigo View Academy, even though they weren’t 100% behind it, they let the leash loose enough for me to try, and that was the biggest validation that my own parents have faith,” she said.
Since then, she knew she had to make it work. But as someone who predominantly spoke English due to her bilingual household from two different countries, acting opportunities weren’t coming in fast enough.
But with every role she got, she made sure to let her light shine through.
“Isono was my first small-screen acting gig. It was daunting and scary because this was the first ever role where I had to portray my Nigerian roots. I had just lost my father, so now having to step deep into those shoes without him felt like reopening a wound because I missed him a lot and had to lean on the heritage that he gave me, which also felt like he was walking with me all the way.
“With the bookings, I felt two ways about it. I understood why Vernac was becoming more necessary. There was a huge push in the industry to validate and create work with people’s native languages. From a cultural standpoint, I understood it, but I was unfortunately a casualty in this whole thing. And it’s not like I wouldn’t try. I was born and raised here, and therefore I knew enough to get me by, but it was never enough, so it was disheartening.
“With its panafrican outlook, Isono gave me a chance when it all seemed bleak,” she said.
With all this, Chioma was now forced to look internationally. Her ambitions landed her a role in Hollywood’s The Woman King, alongside our very own Thuso Mbedu and American superstar Viola Davis.
“So many of us were auditioning, and we just wanted to get close in any way to the project. It was Viola Davis, and we wanted our names to be associated with her. We were all auditioning for Nawi’s character (played by Thuso), and at the time I didn’t understand that sometimes they use the major character’s roles as auditions so they can see one’s full abilities.
“So when Thuso was booked, I was crushed. Yes, we were extremely happy for our girl, but naturally, we would have also loved to get such a character. A couple of months later, we got callbacks with our actual roles, and in that moment, all my dreams were validated. I felt like everything fell into place.”
It was in that moment that she knew that, duality or not, the world was indeed her oyster, waiting to receive her.
“I wanted to be on the global stage way before the internet made the world smaller. When it was unheard of, I believed in it enough, although I didn’t know how it would happen. So to book it all those years later reaffirmed me. That I was worthy to act side-by-side with someone like Viola Davis; just to have that co-sign meant everything.”
The production itself, she said, was tough.
“It was both physically and emotionally demanding. You go from a local production where you shoot 13 scenes in a day because there is no budget or time to a production where they have a whole day shooting one scene. A huge set with 800+ cast and extras, a lot of moving pieces, and what I felt was that it was easy to get lost in how big everything was, but the lesson there was that no matter the scale or type of production, coming back to center—my work and my art—rising to the occasion and not shrinking was paramount,” she said.
She describes Viola as very shy but also kind and approachable. She was ready to mentor and give advice, and it was also rewarding to challenge herself to not be shy (describing herself as shy as well).
“I have never been interested in being the first but always the next, and on that production, I felt very validated that I am the next, and after me there will be a next, and that is what is important to me. “It’s not just one person getting in, but that we keep the door open and take others with us,” she said.
With all the leaps she has bravely taken, another led her straight into the Netflix family, where she was cast in the streaming platform’s live-action adaptation dubbed ‘One Piece’. That one production has also opened up varying avenues for her to further cement her name within the industry.
“I remember once auditioning for some role in the same building that Blood & Water was hosting its auditions. I was so frustrated with my then agents that they couldn’t get me on such auditions that I felt catered for someone like me. But being on a Netflix production is such a God’s timing moment, full circle kind of What’s for you will come to you; just wait. I wanted something that was my own, and I feel One Piece is mine and feels like it was packaged for me,” she said.
One Piece is Netflix’s second-highest-budgeting show ever produced and will return for its second season, and although Chioma reveals that she won’t immediately make an appearance, she will come back.
“My character told a story of finding family, and because of the adoption element, it opened the door to anyone to be cast, including myself as a person of color. The show itself opened me up to so much love and support from the superfans, which led me to be invited to the One Piece podcast, where I will be a guest this month. You get to interact with superfans, and I will also be a part of the Comicon SA panel in May. So just one character has given me so many big opportunities that help solidify my voice,” she said.
Her story is a visual representation of how many opportunities are available for everyone. You just need to want it hard enough.
“These jumps into different acting spaces have really taught me that there is space for us as Africans. The world is getting smaller, and the opportunities are there. There is wiggle room for us to get in.
