Andrew Levi is part of the Citizen TV ‘Becky’ series, where he plays the character of Junior Katana alongside Lucy Maina, who plays the role of Becky.
For most of his fans, Levi is a newcomer in the local film industry, captivating viewers with his deep voice and urban accent.
In recent interviews, the mysterious star has shed light on his past, including his background, and how he landed a lead role in one of the country’s biggest TV shows.
This is his journey as told by WoK:
Background
Speaking in an interview with Radio 47’s Mkamburi Chigogo, Andrew Levi revealed that he was born in Zambia.
His parents were diplomats in the Kenyan government, therefore he spent his childhood in foreign countries like Britain, Israel, and China, moving as his parents worked.
For his education, he attended the prestigious Brookhouse Group of schools in Karen, Nairobi, which is ranked as one of the most prestigious and expensive schools in Kenya.
Interestingly, Brookhouse has also produced some notable entertainers in the country, the likes of Size 8, Kagwe Mungai, Emmanuel Jal, and Janet Mbugua, among others.
After Brookhouse, Levi furthered his education at Oxford and Cambridge universities, pursuing careers in law and medicine.
After graduating, he pursued a diverse career path, which involved occupying a senior position in a corporate job and being a lecturer at Strathmore University.
Before he became an actor in the Becky series, he was working as a freelance consultant.
Acting career
Speaking to Youtuber Trudy Kitui, Levi revealed that he started acting unprofessionally from the age of 4 and that he acted throughout primary, secondary, and university.
However, his parents often dissuaded him from acting and instead urged him to focus more on academics.
Asked how he joined the ‘Becky’ series, he said he was inspired by his father’s recent death.
“When my father passed away from cancer, I realized that life is short. I decided to try something that I had always wanted to try, i.e., acting,” he said.
One day, while scrolling across Instagram, he came across an advert that invited interested actors for auditions.
He applied, and it was until later when he was invited for face-to-face auditions that he learned that the auditions were for Becky, a new Swahili series that would be airing on Citizen TV.
The program was being produced by Jiffy Pictures, a film production company owned by Citizen TV’s power couple — Lulu Hassan and Rashid Abdalla.
Junior Katana
Apparently, Levi chose the character of Junior because the character had many similarities to his life. “It was as if the scriptwriters were referring to my personal life for their storyline.”
He would later learn that the auditions for Becky were not your standard casting calls. The interview didn’t commence at the audition room’s door; it began the moment one entered the gate.
Judges closely observed how candidates greeted the watchmen and interacted with others during the process.
While Andrew aced many aspects of the audition, there was one scene he found challenging – crying. The inability to produce genuine tears left him uncertain about his chances.
However, the unexpected call a few days later informed him that he had clinched the role. “I was shocked. Anyone could have gotten the role,” he modestly admitted.
Challenges
Transitioning from the corporate world to the world of television brought its own set of challenges.
One of them was that he had to learn to balance emotions everywhere. For instance, he often had to pretend to be jovial even when he was depressed.
Another challenge was that the rehearsals would often extend to late night hours, sometimes going for two weeks straight. “Sometimes you only get two to three hours of sleep,” he said.
Another hurdle was the unpredictable weather, which sometimes forced outdoor shoots in chilly conditions. To counter the cold, Andrew and his fellow actors had to engage in some impromptu exercise routines to stay warm.
With ‘Becky’ now delighting audiences for over two months, Levi hopes that the show’s popularity will not be confined to Kenya alone, but will extend to the wider East African region.
He also expressed his desire for the series to be subtitled, allowing for viewership in other African countries such as Nigeria and South Africa.
