Weruche Opia

Born Reanne Weruche Opia in Lagos, Nigeria, on April 11, 1987, she moved to Southeast London at the age of 13. Her background includes a father who is an author and professor of social sciences, and her mother is Ruth Benamaisia-Opia, a veteran Nigerian broadcaster and television host. Opia pursued higher education at the University of the West of England in Bristol, where she earned a degree in Drama and Sociology. Her academic foundation in drama and sociology laid the groundwork for her career in acting.

Opia began her acting career with a television debut in a 2010 episode of “The Bill.” Following this, she spent a year performing with the Renegade Theatre Company in Nigeria. Upon her return to England in 2012, she appeared in the Channel 4 crime drama “Top Boy” and the Channel 5 procedural “Suspects.” A significant turning point in her career was her role as Cleopatra Ofoedo in the third series of the BBC comedy “Bad Education,” which also led to her involvement in its 2015 spinoff film, “The Bad Education Movie.”

Her performance as Terry Pratchard in Michaela Coel’s BBC series “I May Destroy You,” which aired in June 2020, brought her critical acclaim and a nomination for a British Academy Television Award. She also received a Black Reel Award for this role. Other notable work includes her main role as Naomi in the Dave sitcom “Sliced” from 2019 to 2021, and her appearance as Merle in the ITV thriller “Our House” in 2022. In 2024, she took on roles as Coretta Scott King in “Genius” across 8 episodes and Riz Samuel in “The Jetty” across 4 episodes, demonstrating continued engagement in prominent productions.