Enuka Okuma facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Enuka Okuma
Okuma at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival
Born	Enuka Vanessa Okuma Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Occupation	Actress writer director
Years active	1990–present
Spouse(s)	Joe Gasparik ​ (m. 2011)​

Enuka Vanessa Okuma is a Canadian actress, writer, and director. She is most famous for playing detective Traci Nash in the popular police TV show Rookie Blue, which aired from 2010 to 2015.

Okuma has also appeared in other well-known Canadian shows like Madison and Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye. Early in her career, she played the character Kelly in the teen drama Hillside. Besides acting, she has also directed and written for film and television.

Early Life and Education

Enuka Okuma was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Her family is of Nigerian heritage, from the Igbo people. She studied at Simon Fraser University and graduated from its School for the Contemporary Arts.

Acting Career

1990s: Starting as a Teen Actor

Okuma began her acting career in 1990. Her first major role was in the Canadian teen show Hillside.

Throughout the 1990s, she acted in many TV movies and shows in Canada, including Madison. She also had a small part in the movie Double Jeopardy in 1999.

2000s: Moving to Adult Roles

In the 2000s, Okuma started playing more adult characters. From 2002 to 2005, she was a main character in the American crime show Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye.

She also made guest appearances on popular TV series like Dark Angel, Cold Case, and Grey's Anatomy. She had a recurring role as Marika Donoso in the seventh season of the action series 24.

2010s to Today: Mainstream Success

Okuma at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival

In 2010, Okuma landed her most famous role as detective Traci Nash in the police drama Rookie Blue. She starred in the show for all six seasons. Okuma shared an interesting story about how she got the part:

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.

After Rookie Blue, Okuma continued to act in major TV shows. In 2015, she guest-starred as Nia Lahey in the popular drama How to Get Away with Murder. Since 2021, she has been a main character, Sloane Mitchell, in the comedy series Workin' Moms.

Writing and Directing

Okuma is also a talented creator behind the camera. She made her debut as a director with a short film called Cookie. She also wrote, produced, and acted in the film.

In 2015, she used her writing skills on her own show, co-writing an episode of Rookie Blue called "Best Man".

Awards and Recognition

Okuma's work has earned her several award nominations. For her role in the TV series Madison, she was nominated for a Gemini Award in 1995 and 1996.

In 1999, she won a Women In Film award at the Vancouver International Film Festival.

Her role as Traci Nash in Rookie Blue also brought her nominations for a Gemini Award in 2011 and a Canadian Screen Award in 2013.

Personal Life

On July 2, 2011, Okuma married musician Joe Gasparik in Toronto. The couple met while working on a television show together.

Selected Film and TV Roles

Here are some of the movies and TV shows Enuka Okuma has appeared in.

Film

Television