With The CW's All American now in its final season, Greta Onieogou hopes her portrayal of Layla Keating has raised awareness of mental health challenges, especially among viewers of mixedrace heritage. Nigerian-Russian by birth, Onieogou immigrated from Russia to Canada with her parents when she was 5 years old. She says she was attracted to acting at a young age and never wanted to do anything else.
"I love being on set, collaborating with people and stepping into a character, into another world and fully immersing yourself,” she says. “Especially when there’s an opportunity to learn a new skill, a new job or a new way of life. I find that all very fascinating. It’s great to get to do that and call it your job.”
Onieogou booked her first role at age 10, starring in a pasta commercial with other children at a pretend dinner party. That exposure launched her career, which has since included NBC’s Heroes Reborn: Dark Matters and five seasons on CBC’s Heartland, as well as the films Fever Pitch and Miss Sloane.
"Heartland was really special for me," she says. “It was my first time traveling for work, and it was one of my first times on a set where the people were predominantly older than me.”
Playing a character with mental health challenge on All American “helped me normalize certain struggles and challenges I’ve had or seen friends and family go through,” Onieogou says. “I learned to have more empathy and how to be there for people when they’re going through those things. Also, how to ask for help when you’re struggling.”
Onieogou started bringing Billie, her toy poodle, to set with her. “Some other cast and crew members would bring their dogs in as well, so Billie got some good socialization,” she says. “I have fond memories of walking her around the [Warner Bros. Studios] backlot, where so many of my favorite movies and TV shows were filmed.”
This article originally appeared in emmy magazine, issue #10, 2026, under the title "All In."
