Enuka Okuma
Canadian actress From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Enuka Vanessa Okuma (/ɛˈnuːkə oʊˈkuːmə/ ⓘ) is a Canadian actress, writer and director, best known for her role as detective Traci Nash in the Global/ABC police drama series, Rookie Blue (2010–2015).
Enuka Okuma | |
|---|---|
Okuma at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival | |
| Born | Enuka Vanessa Okuma Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1990–present |
| Spouse |
Joe Gasparik (m. 2011) |
| Website | enukaokuma |
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]
Okuma made her directorial debut with the short film, Cookie, on which she was also a writer, actor, and executive producer.[2][3] She has since expanded into writing for television.[4]
Early life
Okuma was born in Vancouver, British Columbia.[5] She is of Nigerian descent, from the Igbo people,[6] and is a graduate of Simon Fraser University's School for the Contemporary Arts.[7][8]
Career
Summarize
Perspective
Acting
1990s: Early teen roles
In 1990, she began her career on television, appearing as regular cast member during the first season of the Canadian teen soap opera, Hillside.[9]
Throughout the 1990s, she also played supporting roles in several made for television films and Canadian television series, such as Madison.[9] She eventually made her feature film debut with a supporting role in Double Jeopardy (1999).
2000s: Transition into adult roles
Okuma began to transition from teenage roles to adult roles, with appearances on a wide range of productions, especially television. Okuma co-starred in the American crime drama series Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye from 2002 to 2005.[10] She guest starred on various hit television series, including Dark Angel, Odyssey 5, Cold Case, Grey's Anatomy and NCIS: Los Angeles. She also had the recurring role as Marika Donoso on the seventh season of the Fox series 24.
2010s—2020s: Continued success
In 2010, Okuma began starring in the Global/ABC police drama series, Rookie Blue as detective Traci Nash.[11] 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.[12]
Okuma was cast as one of lead characters in the ABC pilot, The Adversaries, in 2015.[13] That year, she also guest starred as Nia Lahey on the hit series How to Get Away with Murder.[14]
She joined the series Workin' Moms in 2021 as recurring character Sloane Mitchell and became a regular the following season.[15]
Writing and directing
Okuma made her directorial debut with the short film, Cookie, on which she was also a writer, actor, and executive producer.[2][3]
In 2015, Okuma co-wrote the Rookie Blue episode titled "Best Man".[4]
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.[16] The following year, also for Madison, she was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role.[17]
Okuma won a Women In Film award at the 1999 Vancouver International Film Festival for her role in Daydrift.[citation needed]
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,[18] and for the Canadian Screen Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program or Series at the 2013 Canadian Screen Awards.[19]
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.[20][21]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | G-Saviour | Cynthia Graves | Television film |
| Double Jeopardy | Parolee | ||
| Daydrift | Lucy | ||
| 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 | ||
| 2011 | Cookie | Rachel | Also writer, director, producer |
| 2017 | Battle of the Sexes | Bonny | |
| 2019 | Eleven Eleven | Aleena (voice) | NBC Universal[22] |
| 2020 | The Sleepover | Elise | Netflix film |
| Eat Wheaties! | Michelle | ||
| 2025 | For Worse | Debbie |
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 | Android 18 (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 role | |
| 2019 | A Million Little Things | Sandra | 2 episodes |
| 2021 | Frankie Drake Mysteries | Toni Freedmon | "Sweet Justice" |
| 2021–2023 | Workin' Moms | Sloane Mitchell | Main role |
| 2022 | S.W.A.T. | DEA Agent Nadia Lyons | 5.10 "Three Guns" |
| 2024 | Tracker | US Marshal Jenny Martinez | "Out of the Past" |
| 2025 | Paradise | Dr. Teri Rogers-Collins | "You Asked for Miracles" |
Video Games
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Mortal Kombat 1 | Cyrax (voice) | Khaos Reigns DLC[23] |
References
External links
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