Genoveva Kenechukwu Umeh (born 8 May 1995) is a British-Nigerian actress. She won the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2024 for her role in the Prime Video Original as Anna in Breath of Life, and The Future Awards Africa Prize for Acting the same year. She gained wider recognition for her roles in the Netflix series Blood Sisters and Far From Home, and has since taken on leading roles in Nigerian film and television, including The Herd and Siraam. Her performance in The Herd earned her a nomination for Best Lead Actress at the 2026 AMVCA, while her digital work on Situationally Transmitted Delusion with Elozonam Ogbolu earned a nomination for Best Digital Content Creator.
In 2026, she appeared in the short film The Spectacular Death of Prisca, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and received an Honourable Mention from the Short Cuts jury for Best International Short Film.
Biography Genoveva Umeh was raised both in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. Originally from Anambra State, she was born in Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria on 8 May 1995. She lived in Enugu until age 12 and received her primary education at Command Children's school, Enugu.
Umeh had her first year of secondary education at Command Day Secondary School, Enugu but later migrated with her family to the United Kingdom in 2006. She completed her secondary and A level education at St Mary's College of Education High School in London, United Kingdom.
Umeh developed an interest in acting during secondary school and studied at the Identity School of Acting in London. She also performed in theatre productions at the Lyric Hammersmith. She later studied law at the University of Surrey, graduating with an LLB degree with honours.
Career Umeh moved to Lagos, Nigeria in 2018 to pursue her acting career. She wrote and performed a one-woman stage play, HOME, which performed at Lagos Fringe Festival in Lagos, Nigeria and a year later at Bloemfontein, South Africa. She also performed as Lami in a stage play, High in December 2018 and 2019.
She made her screen debut with a supporting role in the film Love Is War. She subsequently appeared in a number of short films and television productions, including A Tune Away and Akinola Davis’s short film , Lizard which was nominated for a BAFTA. She later booked her first lead role in A Tune Away (2020), which earned her a nomination for Best Actress at the 2022 Africa Magic Viewers' Choice -Award 2022. .
Umeh was among the first students admitted to the EbonyLife Creative Academy. She subsequently auditioned for the role of Timeyin Ademola in Blood Sisters, a Netflix crime thriller series, after being recommended to the production by filmmaker Kenneth Gyang. The series marked a wider breakthrough for her, and she subsequently appeared as Zina in the Netflix young adult drama Far From Home. Her subsequent screen roles included The Herd, in which she played Derin, and Siraam, in which she played the title character. The Herd earned her a nomination for Best Lead Actress at the 2026 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards.
In 2026, Umeh reprised her role as Timeyin in the second season of Blood Sisters, released on Netflix. She also appeared in The Spectacular Death of Prisca, directed by Kaelo Iyizoba, which premiered in the Short Cuts programme at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival. The film received an Honourable Mention from the Short Cuts jury.
Filmography
Film/Television +YearTitleRoleRef2019BlamelessEzinneLove is WarYoung Lady2020Survivor's GuiltAyobamiThe Crazy WifeAlicia2021ReflectionsKenenaCountry HardFunmiFocusJessAll Good ThingsFunmiLizardKhafilatThe GriotAssociate producerOne Lagos NightAnitaTemi's DiaryOmolara2022Crime & JusticeShindaraBlood SistersTimeyinFar From HomeZinaIJO: A Love StoryMolaraA Tune AwayAnitaGenoveva Umeh 2023Shuga (Season 5)ChikaA Tribe Called JudahTestimonyBreath of LifeAnna2024Strawberry ChinnyChinny2025Baby FarmEbunSummer RainYoung MurewaThe HerdDerin2026Blood Sisters 2TimeyinSiraamSiraamThe Spectacular Death of PriscaChimdi/Princess
Theatre +YearTitleRoleShort Notes2016Mind Body SoulKeishaT.D MOYO (Lyric Hammersmith London)2018High On StageLami PhilipsKenneth Uphoho (Rue 14 Studios)HomeGenoveva UmehIbukun FasunhanDodoAmarachiT.D MOYO
Awards and nominations +YearAwardCategoryResultRef2022Africa Magic Viewers Choice AwardBest Actress in a Drama (A Tune Away)2023The Future Awards AfricaPrize for Acting2024Africa Magic Viewers' Choice AwardsBest Supporting Actress (Breath of Life)The Future Awards AfricaPrize for Acting2026Africa Magic Viewers Choice AwardsBest Lead Actress. (The Herd)Africa Magic Viewers Choice AwardsBest Digital Creator (Situationally Transmitted Delusion)
References