Talented, feisty and fiercely determined, Genevieve Chenneour is a force to be reckoned with. Olympic athlete, model and actor, in this interview with Julia Pasarón at the prestigious London hotel 45 Park Lane, she shares the desolation of losing her promising artistic swimming career to injury, her transition to acting and why she has no time for men right now.
Genevieve began synchronised swimming (as it was called before 2017) at 10, after years of ballet and gymnastics. “I was considered too old to start but by 13 I had been selected to join the England squad and at 15 to represent Great Britain. I was the soloist in the team,” she recalls proudly.
Her life soon became unconventional. She left home at 15, rarely in one place for more than a few weeks, and had to prepare for her GCSEs alone. Her path was clear, though: “I had an Olympic scholarship ahead of the Rio Games. The plan was to do my best as an artistic swimmer and, when time to retire came, to join Cirque du Soleil. I’ve always loved entertaining people and making them laugh. It’s my superpower.”
A devastating hip injury brought those dreams to an end. “I remember sitting in a wheelchair and thinking I had no idea what to do with my life.” The answer came unexpectedly. She began as an underwater stunt actor and, watching performers on set, thought: “They’re not doing anything I couldn’t do.” Acting lessons followed. “Artistic swimming was like theatre, telling a story through your body,” she explains.
What surprised her was how success in acting, unlike sport, isn’t necessarily about skill or effort. “I think I’m a good actor – directors say I’m very physically expressive – but it’s difficult to get really good roles. It can be frustrating.”
Alongside acting, she persuaded Oxford Brookes University to let her study Sport Sciences despite not having A levels. “I wrote them a heartfelt letter explaining how, as an athlete, I had lived what the course taught, and they let me in.”
For two years she worked as a physiotherapy assistant on a stroke ward. “It was edifying. Before I could touch a patient, I had to speak to them for hours. Some recovered, but for others it was the end of their life. That experience, I think, made me a better actor.”
Her unorthodox route into acting is not always welcomed. “You’ve no idea how snobbish this business can be. If you haven’t been to the right drama school or had a certain upbringing, people look down on you. And if, like me, you’re also a model, the prejudice is worse.”
Genevieve admires artists such as Selena Gómez and Lady Gaga. “They’ve carved their own path, taken control of their lives, are intelligent, and empower other women. But nepobabies? I can’t stand them.” She also despises those “without a backbone”. In February this year, when a thief stole her phone, she chased him down and wrestled it back. Smiling, she says, “I’ve done stage combat, especially in my latest film, 1242: Gateway to the West, so I know how to use my body. And I grew up with three brothers – fighting isn’t unfamiliar.” Her instinctive response was visceral. “I was overcome with rage. Yet again, a man attacking a woman, thinking he could take what he wanted. Maybe he paid for years of suppressed anger.”
As for relationships, she’s clear: “What would I want a man for? I’ve been through a lot and I’m not even 30. I overcame it all by myself and got where I am without anybody’s help. If I need emotional tools, it’s my therapist – not a man – who provides them.”
She laughs, remembering a well-known industry figure she briefly dated who once told her, “You intimidate men. You intimidate me.” She knew instantly she was “done with him”.
Her acting career has already spanned wildly different roles. In Netflix’s Bridgerton she plays the demure Miss Clara Livingstone, while as Uulan in 1242: Gateway to the West, she inhabits a character far closer to her own nature. “I love Uulan,” she says. “She dressed like a man, wore armour, fought side by side with men, saved her mate and her partner’s life. Against all odds, she takes control of her future.” Uulan begins as a concubine, but rises until she stands alongside Khan Batu, Genghis Khan’s grandson.
Away from acting, Genevieve enjoys learning, writing and surrounding herself with creative, intelligent people. “I’m a sapiosexual – I find intelligence extremely attractive.”
Her Substack, The Naked Pages, explores her journey as an actor and the issues she encounters. “Recently I wrote about a sex scene I filmed, to highlight the importance of intimacy coordinators and safeguarding actors’ wellbeing. At the same time, I spoke about how damaging I think porn can be.”
She rails against the oversexualisation of women in music videos and the obsession with cosmetic procedures. “Art should be rebellion – personal, individual. Now everyone complies with a certain look.” Comparing with Hollywood’s golden age, she adds, “They had expression lines and wrinkles, and were more attractive for them.”
With her fearless approach, the future looks bright. “I’ve done a couple of short films and I’m auditioning a lot, though I can’t say what for.” She doesn’t feel tied down by much – “just my dog, Ralph.”
As our conversation ends, it’s clear that Genevieve Chenneour is exactly where she needs to be – uncompromising, authentic and entirely her own woman. Whether chasing down phone thieves or her next role, one thing is certain: she’ll do it on her own terms. The entertainment industry might not know what’s hit it.
TEAM:
Photographer: David Titlow
Fashion: Lily Lam
Talent: Genevieve Chenneour
Makeup: Joey Choy at Wall group using Dr. Barbara Sturm
Hair: Michela Olivieri at Caren Agency using Color Wow
Fashion assistants: Mary Imhogiemhe and Leigh Maynard
Location: Hotel 45 Park Lane, London. reservations.45L@dorchestercollection.com
Lead image:
ZIMMERMANN Memento lace maxi dress.
NUDEA The Stretch high waist brief.
LOUIS VUITTON Fine Jewellery Color Blossom earrings in yellow and white gold with diamonds; BB Multi-Motif bracelet in yellow gold, onyx and diamonds.
LOUIS VUITTON Fine Jewellery Idylle Blossom twist bracelet in yellow and white gold.
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