As a Nigerian-South African actress, Chioma Umeala is known for her outstanding performances. Although having gotten her big break in 2020 on BET Africa’s Isono, Chioma has made sure to continue paving the way for herself with her role in The Woman King, as well as Netflix’s live-action One Piece.
As she gloriously continues taking up space in the film industry, the multicultural and multitalented actress serves as a shining example for young black woman, as she shares her career journey.
What would you consider to be the highlight of your career so far, and why?
The highlight of my career so far has been being able to work with thee Viola Davis. It is a relationship I cherish and I am so thankful to her and Julius for taking me under their wing and mentoring me even after The Woman King wrapped. That’s actually something they both speak passionately about, using their platform to usher in the new wave of talent in the industry. I am lucky enough to be one of them
When did you decide to pursue a career in film?
I knew I was a performer since the day I was born. It was in high school where I decided that the performance that interested me the most was acting. Prior to that, I performed with my school’s percussion band together and studied piano and guitar.
As an actress you are constantly booked and busy. How do you maintain a healthy work/life balance?
Maintaining a work/life balance means embracing the unorthodox. The film industry is one that operates in time chunks, we may work through public holidays and weekends for 6 months straight, but we also get pockets of down time in between projects that can last up to 3 months. It’s learning that those down periods are our chance to rot completely and recharge.
What legacy do you hope to leave behind as an African woman in the film industry?
I really hope my legacy is one that leaves the door open to others after me. We often see the pattern of “the first black __ to do this” or “the first African artist to do that” and long periods in between the next person to achieve those things or access similar opportunities. I want there to be so many nexts after me that our presence in general becomes the norm. It shouldn’t be a novelty having many Africans/black people winning the highest awards. I want to continue that success for us.
What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your career and how did you overcome them?
I think one of the biggest challenges I have faced in my career is being recognized internationally, having big projects like The Woman King and One piece under my belt but it not positively affecting my rate for local work. This is something a lot of South African actors struggle with. I almost feel like I am starting from scratch here at home. It is still a continuous battle that I find myself in and I often have to be cognisant of what work I take on, as well as not be afraid to speak up or ask people like my agent to speak up for me.
I think also not being as locally recognised even after the achievements is still quite a challenge and for that I am currently working on producing my own work here at home. Lastly and I am a bit embarrassed about this one (laughs) but not being fluent in vernacular has also been a big challenge in auditions for South African work but you will be happy to know I am currently sharpening my Zulu, Xhosa and Igbo.
You played the role of Nojiko in One Piece and nailed it. How was the experience of auditioning for the role to actually getting it?
Auditioning for One Piece was great because they used a fake name for the show while casting, meaning I had no idea the magnitude of the production while I was preparing. I like that the show being One Piece was a surprise to me after I got the role because it kind of removed any extra nerves that may have gotten in my way during the auditions.
How did you prepare for your role as Nojiko and what process did you follow to fully embody the character?
Nojiko in the live action One Piece still has a very raw wound from the loss of her mother. It’s still raw after so many years because of the lack of closure she has with her sister working with her mother’s killer. I had just lost my dad a year before filming so grief and loss were still very close to me at that time. I channelled all of that into the character.
What advice would you give young women who are looking to pursue career in the film industry?
Aside from keeping your acting craft sharp by attending workshops, schools and experimenting with your own work. It can be a very hard job and you have to accept the positives aand negatives about this job. You have to understand the problems you’re choosing along with any decision you make in life, including pursuing this amazing and tumultuous career.
What challenges have you faced as a black woman in the industry and how have these challenges contributed in shaping you and your career?
The challenges I have faced so far as a black actress has been reckoning with the fact that we don’t get as many blanket opportunities as our white counterparts. That’s something that’s obviously changing but whether subconsciously or consciously, we are not getting the same amount of the cream of the crop opportunities as everyone else. It’s tough to walk into many rooms and the first thing they see is my race and not my talent. By default we are seen as a diversity hire, hardly by the merit of the work we put in. The world is changing though, but I do have to acknowledge the pendulum going a bit backwards again.
Can your fans expect any upcoming work up your sleeve? If so, please tell us a bit about that.
One project that I can speak about at this time is Novocaine, starring Jack Quaid and should be released in 2025. People can expect to see me in that film and many other projects including series’ moving forward.
