Nigerian-South African Actress Chioma Umeala Set To Champion Representation For BlackGirls in Anime at Comic Con Africa
This weekend, Comic Con Cape Town will be graced by the presence of a rising star in the entertainment industry, Chioma Umeala. Known for her dynamic performances in popular anime Netflix live action series, One Piece and 2022’s box office hit The Woman King, Umeala is set to make waves as she takes the main stage on the One Piece panel discussing the process and experience of the making of the series. This marks a significant milestone in representing black girls within the anime and comic book industry, giving voice to their inner nerd.
Born to a Nigerian father and South African mother, Chioma Umeala brings a unique multi-cultural perspective to her roles, captivating a wider range of audiences with her talent and charisma. Her portrayal of Nojiko in One Piece garnered widespread acclaim as she emerged as a fan favourite. Many came to her defence when she was plagued by racists trolls during the release of the series as the character was originally nondescript but illustrated as white in the comics. The series was No.1 on Netflix globally in less than two weeks of its release.
Although anime is still a predominantly white space , Umeala’s participation in Comic Con Africa’s One Piece panel underscores the growing recognition of diversity and inclusion within the anime and comic book community. The actress stands as a beacon of representation, allowing young girls of color to see themselves reflected in the characters they love.
“I am incredibly honoured to be part of the One Piece panel at Comic Con Africa,” said Umeala. “I am a total nerd for anime and expos like Comic Con. Growing up one of my biggest dreams was to be part of something like this but I didn’t really believe it was possible because I didn’t see a lot of characters that looked like me. I was also thankfully given the opportunity to embrace my natural heritage by speaking in my accent during the filming of One Piece – I didn’t have to adopt an American or British accent,” she adds.
“Representation matters, and I am proud to represent black girls who are passionate about anime and comics because often the community is not receptive to us black girls being passionate about anime, it’s almost not believable which is crazy because there are so many of us. It’s important for every child to see themselves as important characters.”
The One Piece panel at Comic Con Africa promises to be an engaging discussion, offering fans a glimpse behind the scenes of their favorite anime series and its actors.
Comic Con Africa attendees can catch Chioma Umeala at the One Piece panel on Sunday 28 April 2024 at 10:30 on the Main Stage.
Follow Chioma Umeala on social media for updates:
@chioma_umeal on Instagram
@chioma_umeala on X
About Chioma Umeala:
Chioma Umeala is a Nigerian and South African actress known for her roles in BET’s first ever Telenovela Isono (Currently on Netlix), popular anime series “One Piece” and Sony produced “The Woman King.” With a passion for storytelling and a commitment to representation, Umeala is making waves in the entertainment industry as a talented and versatile performer.