‘Bridgerton’ star Genevieve Chenneour successfully defended herself against a would-be phone thief earlier this year, crediting her boxing background for giving her the confidence and skills needed in the moment of crisis.
The 27-year-old actress, known for her role as rumor-monger Clara Livingston in the popular Netflix period drama, was targeted on February 8 when 18-year-old Zacariah Boulares attempted to steal her phone at Joe & The Juice on Kensington High Street in west London.
“I think I have very quick reactions, thanks to having three brothers growing up, and I’m an aviated carded boxer,” Chenneour explained during an interview on “This Morning” with hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard. “I think it just was an instinct. I also do a lot of training for work and acting.”
Surveillance footage captured the incident, which Chenneour described as lasting approximately five minutes. The situation escalated when the assailant threatened violence, turning what began as a theft into what the actress perceived as a potentially life-threatening situation.
Chenneour’s sporting background extends beyond boxing. Before her acting career, she represented Team GB as a professional athlete at several prestigious competitions, including the Baku 2015 European Games and the 2014 LEN European Championships in artistic swimming events.
Despite her successful defense, Chenneour advised others against similar actions. “I don’t know if I would advise anybody else to do it,” she cautioned. “I thought that was a normal reaction and I read all the comments [online] and realized, actually, a lot of people would just let them take the phone.”
The incident has had a lasting impact on the actress, who admitted to developing anxiety about leaving her home afterwards. “It really did affect my confidence,” she revealed. “I’ve actually taken a bit of a break from London… I’ve been here for seven years, working, auditioning, acting, just to kind of have a bit of a reset.”
Security experts echo Chenneour’s caution. Former Chief Superintendent Parm Sandu, who joined Chenneour during her television appearance, advised against confrontation in similar situations: “Genevieve was very brave and I commend her for that, but I would not recommend anybody fights back. It just isn’t worth it.”
Sandu instead suggested preventative measures, including using phone cases with wrist straps and knowing your device’s IMEI number for easier tracking in case of theft.
The assailant, Boulares, who recently turned 18, has an extensive criminal history with 12 previous convictions relating to 28 offenses. He pleaded guilty on May 29 to stealing Chenneour’s phone and assaulting another customer during the incident.
On Thursday, Chenneour shared footage of herself boxing on social media with the caption that the attacker “messed with the wrong girl.”
