Latest news with #Chenneour
USA Today
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
'A bit of a sixth sense': Video shows 'Bridgerton' actor stopping phone thief
'A bit of a sixth sense': Video shows 'Bridgerton' actor stopping phone thief Show Caption Hide Caption 'Bridgerton' actor fights off suspected phone thief Surveillance footage caught the moments as Genevieve Chenneour confronted a suspected thief in London. A London thief chose the wrong actor's phone to try and steal. "Bridgerton" actor Genevieve Chenneour, 27, went viral after a video captured her fight off a man who snatched her cell phone at a London cafe when she wasn't looking. Security footage shows the English performer sitting on Feb. 8 as a man grabs her device from her table while she's looking away. As he walks away, she quickly notices and does not hesitate to stop him. With the help of a bystander, Chenneour kicks and pushes the man to the ground, takes her phone back and appears to strike him with it. "I had a bit of a sixth sense that something wasn't quite right. As a woman, you have that kind of intuition," Chenneour said in an interview on the "This Morning" talk show. "I could feel people moving around me in a different way, but I only became aware of it once the incident had happened." Chenneour she believes the man had spent time picking the perfect target, which she quickly proved wasn't her. She explained that she remembers kicking him back with her leg to create distance in case he had a weapon on him. Looking back she understands that not everyone would have fought back, but said she instinctually opted to because of her experiences as a boxer and growing up with three brothers. "I thought that was a normal reaction, and then I read all the comments and realized actually a lot of people would just let them take the phone," she said. "It was just a life changing, crazy moment." Chenneour said she felt scared to leave home after incident While Chenneour managed to leave the business with her phone, she said the experience impacted her anxiety, making her more fearful to leave her home. "As a woman, we already have our wits about us around strangers and random men. So to have this happen to me while dealing with that probably base level that a lot of women have just made me quite agoraphobic," she said. She added that the experience opened up many conversations that made her more aware of how many people are afraid of being out in public. London's Metropolitan Police Service arrested an 18-year-old man who is set to be sentenced over theft and assault charges on June 17, according to BBC. Who is Genevieve Chenneour? Chenneour is 27-year-old English actor best known for her role in Netflix's "Bridgerton." In Season 3 of the hit romance show she plays Clara Livingston, a debutante at the start of the 1815 season. She is a former professional athlete who grew up in a military family, according to her IMDb page. She has prior experiences in dance, swimming and gymnastics and said she is a carded member of the American Boxing Association.
Metro
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Bridgerton star describes horrific 'life and death' moment she fought off thief
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Bridgerton actress Genevieve Chenneour has shared insight into her horrific experience as she bravely defended herself from a prolific thief. The 27-year-old star's real-life drama was thoroughly modern as she fought off a phone thief in Joe & the Juice. Chenneour, who plays Clara Livingston in Netflix's beloved show, revealed on This Morning the moment which turned into a 'life and death' situation. She shared: 'I had a bit of a sixth sense that something wasn't quite right, as woman you have that kind of intuition, and I could feel people moving around me in a different way but I only became aware of it once the incident had happened.' Chenneour was waiting for her order at the chain cafe on Kensington High Street, London when the thief, who the Daily Mail identified as Zacariah Boulares, 18, quietly snuck up behind her and grabbed her phone, which was placed on the counter. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. Immediately, the actress sprang into action as she spun around and grabbed his arm while another man came to her aid. 'I did feel they were going back and forth trying to find a target, so they chose me,' she explained CCTV footage showed her freeing her phone from his grasp as she pushed him to the ground and fought back against the hooded criminal. 'I don't know if I would advise anybody else to do it,' Chenneour warned. 'I think I have very quick reactions, thanks to having three brothers growing up and I'm an aviated carded boxer. 'I think it just was an instinct, I also do a lot of fight training for work and acting… I thought that was a normal reaction and I read all the comments [from the CCTV footage] and realised, actually a lot of people would just let them take the phone.' At one point another man threatened to stab Chenneour, turning the incident into 'a real matter' which was 'life and death'. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video She continued: 'So, I did things like, I remember kicking him back with my leg to create space in case he had a weapon on him… It was just a life changing, crazy moment.' In court on May 29, Boulares pleaded guilty to stealing her phone as well as assaulting another customer. The actress previously told the Mail: 'They didn't expect me to stand up for myself – but I did.' 'I was left with a concussion just before the Screen Actors Guild Awards and since then, I've felt constantly on edge,' she shared. 'Even my dog was traumatised – now, if anyone touches me, he panics and tries to protect me. Getting a coffee shouldn't be something you need your wits about you for.' Chenneour added that she was thankful to the staff in store who were 'incredible' during the incident, and she has returned to see since. She retrained as an actress after winning an Olympic scholarship to train for Team GB's artistic swimming team at the age of 15. Unfortunately, an injury prevented her from going pro but after being a stunt double for underwater scenes in Gateway To The West she landed a role on Bridgerton. Boulares reportedly also threatened Aled Jones with a machete 18 months prior, as he stole the star's £17,000 Rolex watch while in West London. He was jailed for 14 months in a young offenders centre after the incident in October 2023, getting released 10 months early. At the hearing regarding Chenneour's case, he also admitted to stealing a handbag at a pizza restaurant in London's West End in January this year. In a message on her Instagram, the Bridgerton debutante thanked fans for their support after the attack. 'I'm okay and incredibly grateful he won't be able to harm anyone else,' she said. 'I am, however, finding it difficult to feel safe going out – especially after being repeatedly threatened with being stabbed in the face.' This second man has been released due to a lack of evidence and won't be going to court, according to the star. A spokesman for the Met Police said: 'Police were called to a restaurant on Kensington High Street on Saturday, 8 February following reports of a theft and an assault. 'CCTV showed the suspect stealing a phone from the table and then assaulting a separate member of the public who confronted him. More Trending 'The victim of the assault was kicked and punched before the suspect left the premises. 'CCTV enquiries identified Zacariah Boulares as the suspect and he was arrested. Boulares, 18, was charged with common assault and theft.' View More » He will be sentenced later this month. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Netflix fans rush to binge 'must-see' series after huge Rotten Tomatoes boost MORE: Free travel for over-60s costs taxpayers £100,000,000 more than fare dodgers MORE: Samurai sword killer 'screamed in delight' after nearly decapitating schoolboy
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Bridgerton' Star Fights Back After Shocking Phone Theft
'Bridgerton' Star Fights Back After Shocking Phone Theft originally appeared on Parade. Bridgerton actress Genevieve Chenneour is speaking out about a terrifying encounter that left her with a concussion. Chenneour, 27, who played Clara Livingston in Season 3 of Netflix's hit period drama, opened up about the February 8 incident during an emotional appearance on This Morning. Chenneour recalled the moment her phone was stolen from inside a Joe & The Juice café in London's Kensington neighborhood, and how instincts kicked in when she decided to fight back. "I had a bit of a sixth sense that something wasn't quite right," Chenneour shared. "As a woman, you have that kind of intuition, and I could feel people moving around me in a different way. But I only became aware of it when the incident had happened and in hindsight." The shocking scene was caught on security footage, showing the actress confronting the thief in an altercation that lasted nearly five minutes, and spilled out from the café onto the street. "It just was an instinct," she said of her decision to chase after the suspect. "I don't know what came over me. I thought that was a normal reaction, but then I read all the comments and realized, actually, a lot of people would let them take the phone." Chenneour said her fight training from working on set, along with growing up with brothers, helped prepare her for the moment, even if it came with real risk. During the encounter, she says one of the suspects threatened to stab her "multiple times." "It became a matter of—in my mind—a matter of life and death," she recounted. "So I did things like, I remember kicking him back with my leg to create space in case he had a weapon on him. It was a life-changing, crazy moment." The physical toll was real. Chenneour revealed that she suffered a concussion, and emotionally, the experience left a lasting mark. "I didn't want to go outside," she admitted. "And as a woman, we already have our wits about us around strangers and random men, so to have this happen to me—while dealing with that base level that a lot of women have—made me quite acrophobic. Leaving the house was really hard." One of the suspects, Zacariah Boulares, has since pleaded guilty. And he's no stranger to violence, having previously served time for threatening to behead Welsh singer Aled Jones during a Rolex robbery. Boulares, 18, is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17 for the assault on Chenneour and another customer involved in the same incident. But the second man Chenneour says threatened to stab her won't be facing charges. "The man that threatened to stab me will not be going to court and has been released due to lack of evidence," Chenneour wrote in an Instagram Story following the ordeal. "I know karma will get him." Despite the traumatic incident, the actress expressed gratitude for those who helped her in the aftermath. "I'm so grateful to the staff at Joe & The Juice. They were incredible during the incident and when I went back to see them after," she shared. Chenneour also took a moment to speak more broadly about what her experience represents. "London has become increasingly dangerous, and this cannot be normalized," she said. "I'm not just speaking for myself, I'm speaking for every person who's had enough." 'Bridgerton' Star Fights Back After Shocking Phone Theft first appeared on Parade on Jun 12, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
1News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- 1News
Watch: Bridgerton actor fights off phone thief
An English actor has been captured on CCTV taking on a man who attempted to steal her phone. Genevieve Chenneour, who stars in the Netflix series Bridgerton as Clara Livingston, was waiting for a coffee in a London cafe in February this year when the incident unfolded. In the video, the man could be seen grabbing Chenneour's phone from a bench where it was sitting behind her. When Chenneour realised what was occurring, she turned around and confronted the man, who was sliding the phone into his pocket. She snatched it back before the 18-year-old thief, later identified as Zacariah Boulares, was tackled by Chenneour's friend. ADVERTISEMENT The video then showed her hitting Boulares with the phone multiple times. On May 29, Boulares pleaded guilty to theft and assaulting another customer.
New York Post
a day ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
‘Bridgerton' actress Genevieve Chenneour fights off thief, accomplice who ‘threatened to stab' her in shocking coffee shop clash
Actress Genevieve Chenneour turned the tables on a notorious thief and his accomplice who threatened to stab her 'multiple times' during a bold phone-snatching attempt at a London coffee shop, dramatic footage shows. Chenneour, who played Clara Livingston in the third season of Netflix's hit series 'Bridgerton,' said Wednesday that she was left with a concussion after prolific London thug Zacariah Boulares, 18, attacked her at a Joe & the Juice in London's ritzy Kensington neighborhood. Shocking footage shows Chenneour, 27, confronting the convicted thief who snuck up behind her before snatching her phone on February 8. 9 Actress Genevieve Chenneour turned the tables on a notorious thief and his accomplice who threatened to stab her 'multiple times' during a bold phone-snatching attempt in London. Met Police Chenneour wasted no time springing into action after Boulares — dressed in all black with a navy baseball cap — pounced to grab her device just moments after his friend left the table. The actress — a former Team GB artistic swimmer — put her arm out to block Boulares from leaving the premises, causing him to drop the phone on the floor. She successfully retrieves the phone while Boulares grapples with her friend, leaving onlookers stunned. 'The guy that walks up to me at the end was the man threatening to stab me multiple times,' Chenneour wrote on her Instagram Story Wednesday. 'That was the moment something took over me and the physical fight became life or death in my mind. Crazy, watching the beginning of this footage, it gives me chills.' 9 Chenneour said she was left with a concussion after she was attacked at a Joe & the Juice in London's ritzy Kensington neighborhood. Met Police 9 Prolific London thug Zacariah Boulares, 18, pleaded guilty to the attack on the Netflix star. Met Police After sharing several other clips of the ordeal with her 15,000 followers on the platform, the actress added, 'Man I feel sick watching this.' Another video showed her distressed Maltipoo pup during the physical brawl. 'My poor baby was screaming and barking. I now have a major issue with people touching me in front of him thanks to these c–s,' the Netflix star added. Chenneour claimed that authorities released Boulares' accomplice due to insufficient evidence. 'The man that threatened to stab me will not be going to court and has been released due to lack of evidence,' she wrote. 'I know karma will get him.' 9 Shocking footage shows Chenneour, 27, confronting the convicted thief who snuck up behind her before snatching her phone on February 8. Met Police 9 The actress put her arm out to block Boulares from leaving the premises, causing him to drop the phone on the floor. @genevievechenneour/Instagram Chenneour previously opened up about the distressing incident in an interview with the Daily Mail, saying the thugs 'didn't expect' her to fight back. 'I was left with a concussion just before the Screen Actors Guild Awards and since then, I've felt constantly on edge,' she told the outlet. 'Even my dog was traumatized — now, if anyone touches me, he panics and tries to protect me. Getting a coffee shouldn't be something you need your wits about you for.' 9 Chenneour claimed that authorities released Boulares' accomplice due to insufficient evidence. The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images 9 The actress recounted the harrowing ordeal on her Instagram Story. @genevievechenneour/Instagram 'I'm so grateful to the staff at Joe & The Juice — they were incredible during the incident and when I went back to see them after,' she added. Boulares has a long criminal record and previously served time for threatening to behead Welsh singer Aled Jones during a robbery in which he stole the singer's $23,000 Rolex in London. The then-16-year-old was sentenced to 24 months in custody for the attack in October 2023 but was released early after serving just 14 months. 'That moment is a blur of survival. And to know that Boulares had previously walked the street with a machete makes me realize how serious this threat was,' Chenneour said following the ordeal. 'London has become increasingly dangerous, and this cannot be normalized. I'm not just speaking for myself — I'm speaking for every person who's had enough.' 9 Chenneour played Clara Livingston in the third season of Netflix's hit series 'Bridgerton.' Netflix 9 The actress shared clips of the ordeal with her 15,000 followers on the platform. @genevievechenneour/Instagram The Algerian national has since been involved in a series of criminal offenses and has pleaded guilty to the attack on Chenneour, as well as the assault of another customer. The Metropolitan Police had identified Boulares in surveillance footage from the attack. He will be sentenced on June 17.
