Enuka Vanessa Okuma () 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).
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.
Okuma made her directorial debut with the short film Cookie, on which she was also a writer, actor, and executive producer. She has since expanded into writing for television.
Early life Okuma was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. She is of Nigerian descent, from the Igbo people, and is a graduate of Simon Fraser University's School for the Contemporary Arts.
Career
Acting
1990s: Early teen roles In 1990, she began her career on television, appearing as a regular cast member during the first season of the Canadian teen soap opera Hillside.
Throughout the 1990s, she also played supporting roles in several made for television films and Canadian television series, such as Madison. 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. 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. 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.
Okuma was cast as one of lead characters in the ABC pilot, The Adversaries, in 2015. That year, she also guest starred as Nia Lahey on the hit series How to Get Away with Murder.
She joined the series Workin' Moms in 2021 as recurring character Sloane Mitchell and became a regular the following season.
Okuma was cast in the series Paradise as recurring character Terri Rogers-Collins, and became a series regular in season two.
Writing and directing Okuma made her directorial debut with the short film, Cookie, on which she was also a writer, actor, and executive producer.
In 2015, Okuma co-wrote the Rookie Blue episode titled "Best Man".
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. The following year, also for Madison, she was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role.
Okuma won a Women In Film award at the 1999 Vancouver International Film Festival for her role in Daydrift.
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, 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.
Personal life On July 2, 2011, Okuma married musician Joe Gasparik in Toronto, where they met while working on a television show together. Gasparik proposed to Okuma on a beach in Vancouver after three years of dating.
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 2011CookieRachelAlso writer, director, producer 2017 Battle of the Sexes Bonny 2019 Eleven Eleven Aleena (voice) NBC Universal 2020 The Sleepover Elise Netflix film Eat Wheaties! Michelle 2025For WorseDebbie
Television Year Title Role Notes 1990 MacGyver Young Club Member Episode: "The Gun"; credited as Vanessa Okuma 1991 Hillside Kelly 13 episodes; credited as Vanessa Okuma 1993–1997 Madison Sheri Davis 5 episodes; credited as Enuka Vanessa Okuma and Vanessa Okuma 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 These Arms of Mine Adrian 2 episodes 2001 Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz Lady Une (voice) English dub Andromeda Sofia/Isabella Ortiz Episode: "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 Episode: "Sandhogs" 2007 Grey's Anatomy Teresa Brotherton Episode: "Physical Attraction... Chemical Reaction" 2009 24 Marika Donoso 4 episodes 2010–2015 Rookie Blue Traci Nash 74 episodes 2015 How to Get Away with Murder Nia Lahey 2 episodes2016 Slasher Lisa-Ann Follows 4 episodes Masters of Sex Cleo Episode: "Coats or Keys" 2017–2019 Steven Universe Rhodonite (voice) 5 episodes2018 Caught KC Williams 5 episodes Impulse Deputy Anna Hulce Main role 2019 A Million Little Things Sandra 2 episodes2021Frankie Drake MysteriesToni FreedmonEpisode: "Sweet Justice"2021–2023Workin' MomsSloane MitchellMain role2022S.W.A.T. DEA Agent Nadia LyonsEpisode: "Three Guns"2024Tracker US Marshal Jenny Martinez Episode: "Out of the Past"2025Paradise Dr. Teri Rogers-Collins Recurring role (season 1), main cast (season 2) The PittNatalie MaloneEpisode: "5:00 P.M."St. Denis MedicalDr. FennerEpisode: "Two Docs, One Conf"
Video games Year Title Role Notes2024Mortal Kombat 1Cyrax (voice) "Khaos Reigns" DLC2025Mecha BreakFemale Protagonist Voice 6 (voice) English version
References
External links