Weruche Opia
Nigerian actress (born 1989)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Reanne Weruche Opia (/wəˈruːtʃeɪ ˈoʊpiə/)[1] (born 11 April 1987) is a Nigerian actress and entrepreneur. She is the founding CEO of the clothing line Jesus Junkie Clothing.[2] She was nominated for a British Academy Television Award for her performance in the BBC miniseries I May Destroy You (2020).
11 April 1987
- Actress
- entrepreneur
Weruche Opia | |
|---|---|
Opia in 2017 | |
| Born | Reanne Weruche Opia 11 April 1987 Lagos, Nigeria |
| Alma mater | University of the West of England, Bristol |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2010–present |
| Mother | Ruth Benamaisia-Opia |
Early life and education
Born in Lagos,[3] Opia moved to Southeast London at the age of 13. Her father is an author and professor of social sciences and her mother is veteran Nigerian broadcaster and television host Ruth Benamaisia-Opia.[4][5] Opia holds a degree in drama and sociology from the University of the West of England, Bristol.[4]
Career
After making her television debut with a guest appearance in a 2010 episode of The Bill, Opia spent a year with the Renegade Theatre Company in Nigeria. Upon returning to England in 2012, she appeared in the Channel 4 crime drama Top Boy and the Channel 5 procedural Suspects.[6]
Opia gained prominence through her role as Cleopatra Ofoedo in the third series of the BBC comedy Bad Education and its 2015 spinoff film.[7] Opia was nominated in 2015 in the Nollywood Actress of the Year category at the 2015 Nigeria Entertainment Awards for her role in the film When Love Happens. From 2019 to 2020, Opia was in the main cast of the Dave sitcom Sliced as Naomi.
Opia starred as Terry Pratchard in Michaela Coel's BBC series I May Destroy You, which first aired in June 2020.[8][9] For her performance, Opia was nominated for a British Academy Television Award and won a Black Reel Award. In 2022, she appeared in the ITV thriller Our House.
Audiobook Narration
| Year | Title | Author | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Daughters of Nri | Reni K Amayo | Fantasy |
| 2019 | My Sister the Serial Killer | Oyinkan Braithwaite | Thriller |
| 2021 | Descendants of the First | Reni K Amayo | Fantasy |
| 2021 | The Upper World | Femi Fadugba | Science Fiction / Fantasy |
| 2020 | Raybearer | Jordan Ifueko | Fantasy |
| 2022 | Honey & Spice | Bolu Babalola | Romance |
| 2024 | Only Big Bumbum Matters Tomorrow | Damilare Kuku | Satirical |
| 2025 | A Really Short History of Nearly Everything | Bill Bryson | Non-fiction |
| 2025 | Cursed Daughters | Oyinkan Braithwaite | Contemporary |
| 2025 | Sweat Heat | Bolu Babalola | Romance |
| 2025 | The Motherless Land | Nikki May | Literary |
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | When Love Happens | Mo | Seyi Babatope | Romance |
| 2015 | The Bad Education Movie | Cleopatra Ofoedo | Elliot Hegarty | Comedy |
| Prey | Ebele | Sunny King | Short film | |
| Isla Traena | Tamikah | Freddy Syborn | Short film | |
| 2016 | When Love Happens Again | Mo | Seyi Babatope | Romance |
| 2017 | Thereafter | June | Yinka Idowu | Short film |
| 2018 | Haircut | Funmi | Koby Adom | Short film |
| 2021 | Invisible Manners | Narrator (Epilogue) | John Lee Taggart | Short film |
| 2022 | Slumberland | Agent Green | Francis Lawrence | Netflix film |
| 2026 | Ladies First | Ruby | Thea Sharrock | |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | The Bill | Selina Moris | Episode: "Death Knock" |
| 2013 | Top Boy | Nafisa | 4 episodes |
| 2014–2015 | Suspects | Mae Roberts | 2 episodes |
| 2014, 2022 | Bad Education | Cleopatra Ofoedo | Main role (series 3) Cameo (reunion special) |
| 2015 | Banana | Lilia | 1 episode |
| Hot Pepper | Toya | Web series; episode: "One-Night Stand" | |
| 2017 | Just a Couple | Melissa | Miniseries; 4 episodes |
| 2018 | Inside No. 9 | Maz | Episode: "Tempting Fate" |
| 2019–2021 | Sliced | Naomi | Main role |
| 2020 | I May Destroy You | Terry | Miniseries; main role |
| 2022 | Our House | Merle | Miniseries; main role |
| 2023 | High Desert | Carol | Main role |
| Black Mirror | Unnamed actress | Episode: "Loch Henry" | |
| 2024 | Iwájú | Otin (voice) | Main role |
| The Jetty | Riz Samuel | Main role | |
| 2026 | Bait | Felicia | Recurring |
Stage
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Liberian Girl | Finda | Royal Court Theatre, London[10] |
| 2015 | The Trial | Comptroller | Young Vic, London |
| 2018 | The Divide | Giella | The Old Vic, London |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award(s) | Category | Work(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Nigeria Entertainment Awards | Actress of The Year (Nollywood) | ...When Love Happens | Nominated | [11] |
| Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards | Best Actress in a Comedy | Nominated | [12] | ||
| 2021 | Independent Spirit Awards | Best Ensemble Cast in a New Scripted Series (shared with cast) | I May Destroy You | Won | [13] |
| British Academy Television Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | [14] | ||
| Black Reel Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actress, TV Movie or Limited Series | Won | |||
| 2023 | AudioFile Earphones Award | For her narration of Honey & Spice. | Honey & Spice | Won | |