Early Life

Genoveva Kenechukwu Umeh was born on May 8, 1995, in Enugu, Nigeria. She spent her early childhood in Enugu, attending Command Children’s School and Command Day Secondary School before moving to the United Kingdom in 2006. She continued her education in London at St Mary’s College of Education High School and later earned an LLB Law degree with honours from the University of Surrey. Umeh discovered her love for acting during her secondary school years, later honing her skills at the Identity School of Acting in London.

Career

In 2018, Umeh relocated to Lagos, Nigeria, to pursue her passion for acting. She debuted on stage with her self-written one-woman play HOME at the Lagos Fringe Festival, later performing in South Africa. She also featured in High, a stage production aimed at raising awareness about substance abuse among teenagers.

Umeh secured her first lead role in A Tune Away (2020), a performance that earned her a Best Actress nomination at the 2022 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards. She had earlier appeared in Love is War and played Anita in One Lagos Night (2021). Her role in the BAFTA-nominated short film Lizard (2020) showcased her versatility.

As part of the inaugural class of the Ebonylife Creative Academy, she participated in short films such as Monitoring Spirits, Reflections, Focus, and IJO. Her performance in Monitoring Spirits won her Best Supporting Actress. Her breakout television roles include Timeyin Ademola in Blood Sisters and Zina in Far From Home.

In 2024, Umeh received the Best Supporting Actress award at the AMVCAs for her role in Breath of Life.

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