Centre Stage: Umi Myers on Crafting Truth and Honouring Her Heritage

For Umi Myers, acting has always been more than a profession; it’s a deeply personal  pursuit, one borne in environments nurturing her creativity, resilience, and authenticity. From  her earliest days performing in school plays to stepping onto the international stage, Myers’  journey is layered and compelling, not at all unlike the characters she portrays. 

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  Photographer: David Reiss

  Stylist: Jenny Kennedy

  Hair & makeup: Nohelia Reyes assisted by Lizzie Checkley

  
  

We start at the beginning and she laughs softly, reflecting on a childhood brimming with  artistic influences. “I’ve always been one of those annoying kids who liked to perform,” she  shares, her voice carrying the warmth of nostalgia. “It wasn’t just acting. I danced, played the  saxophone, and was in an orchestra. But I remember waiting, almost desperately, for my  turn to step on stage in Year Six. Acting just felt freeing.” 

Growing up as the only child of creative parents—her mother a costume designer and her  father surrounded by an artistic community—Myers had an intimate view of the highs and  lows of a creative life. “I spent a lot of my childhood at tech rehearsals, seeing theatre come  alive from both sides. It wasn’t just the magic of performance but the grit and the craft of  storytelling that captivated me. That shaped me.” 

Yet, despite this creative backdrop, Myers wasn’t particularly locked into one path. “I had two  great loves at school: history and acting”. After receiving offers from both the University of  Edinburgh for history and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, she found herself at a  crossroad. “My parents, though creatives themselves, were very realistic. They knew the  industry could be brutal. They encouraged me to go for it fully if that’s what I wanted, but  they were just as supportive of me pursuing something else. That was such a privilege.” 

In 2018, Myers began her training at Guildhall, an experience that shaped her craft and her  understanding of the industry. “Drama school is intense,” she says, pausing to find the right  words. “You’re there from nine to six every day, completely immersed. It’s incredibly  exposing—you learn to embrace critique and uncover parts of yourself you didn’t even know  existed.” 

She recalls the stages of competence her teachers drilled into her: unconscious  incompetence, conscious incompetence, conscious competence, and finally, the elusive goal  of unconscious competence. “It’s a lifelong journey as an actor. You’re constantly  rediscovering yourself through the work.” 

But Myers’ time at Guildhall coincided with global turmoil. “Second year was when COVID  hit. We were doing Shakespeare, and suddenly everything moved online. Then came the  Black Lives Matter movement, which brought a reckoning across industries, including ours.  As a biracial woman, I was faced with the realities of institutional racism—not just for me, but  for my peers of color. It was painful, especially in such a vulnerable environment.” 

Her reflections are poignant, a reminder that the arts don’t exist in isolation from societal  struggles. “Acting requires you to be grounded in your body, to connect deeply with yourself  and others. That vulnerability was difficult to sustain during such a turbulent time, but it also  felt necessary.”

Fast forward to today, and Myers has stepped into roles that feel as personal as they are  transformative. In Bob Marley: One Love, she portrays Cindy Breakspeare, the Canadian Jamaican jazz singer and former Miss World who shared a deep bond with Marley.  Preparing for the role was a meticulous process, rooted in honoring Cindy’s legacy. 

“Cindy was so generous with her story,” Myers shares. “She opened up her world to me,  shared private photos, let me record her voice. I even transcribed her words phonetically to  capture the nuances of her accent.” For Myers, who is half-Jamaican, the role carried added  weight. “I didn’t know if I’d ever get the chance to perform in a Jamaican accent or play a  character with a shared heritage. It felt so important to me—and my family.” 

Despite the challenges, including the ever-present specter of imposter syndrome, Myers  found solace in the collaborative spirit of the set. “We were surrounded by  Jamaicans—actors, singers, and even children of The Wailers. Ziggy Marley was on set,  ensuring we got it right. There was such care and respect for the story we were telling.” 

Next for Myers is Dope Girls, a bold and gritty series set in London in 1918. Myers lights up  when describing Billie Cassidy, her character. “The moment I read the script, I knew I had to  play her. Billie is fearless, passionate, and a survivor. She’s navigating this rough, patriarchal  world as a biracial woman, dancing in illegal nightclubs just after a time of international  violence and tragedy.” 

To Myers, Billie represents both defiance and creativity—a reflection of a society grappling  with post-war trauma and bubbling with change. “It’s such a rich period to explore. There’s  this explosive energy, and for Billie, that comes through in her artistry as a dancer. I love  how layered she is—tough, yet vulnerable.” 

When asked what she hopes audiences will remember about her, not just as an actress but  as a storyteller, Myers takes a contemplative pause. “That I was brave,” she says finally.  “Brave and committed to truth. I want to be uncompromising—not stubborn, but deeply  committed to pursuing art with honesty and depth.” 

It’s clear that for Umi Myers, acting is more than just stepping into a character’s shoes—it’s  about transformation and telling stories that resonate, that reflect humanity in all its  complexity. With each project, she carves out a legacy defined by courage, and fidelity and  it’s beautiful to watch.

All episodes of Dope Girls are available on BBC iPlayer from Saturday 22nd February and weekly on BBC One.