By Prudence Minayo
Kenya has produced A-list actors who played major roles in Hollywood films. Most of these successful actors will tell you that launching a career in acting is no child play. They had to start at the very bottom before rising up. A good number started their careers at the Kenya National Theatre and through acting set books. A few get big roles without much struggle but what keeps them at the top is discipline, passion and hard work. Below are some Kenyan actors (acting in the country) who are among top earners in the industry. This is based on their years of experience and or the big roles they have in some of the most watched local programs in the country.
Pascal Tokodi
Pascal made his debut in professional acting on Makutano Junction which aired in Citizen TV more than a decade ago. He then became a lead actor in Groove Theory in 2013 before featuring on the NTV drama series Pray and Prey in 2014. He then got the chance to play Nelson on Maisha Magic’s Kenyan soap opera named Selina which has been received so well by viewers.
Away from acting, he is a talented musician who featured in Africa’s first Karaoke competition in Nigeria known as Tecno Own the Stage. He has released a number of songs and featured great names in the industry, such as King Kaka.
Sara Hassan
The talented actress is one whose face many Kenyans are familiar with. Her role as Tanya on Tahidi High brought her to the limelight. She went on to host the then popular Citizen TV show Wedding Show, and she was exceptional at it. Since then, she has gotten several roles in so many films including Abel and Jane, Changes, House of Lungula, Demigods, Discovery +254, Sakata, Live or Die and Plan B. She currently plays the lead role on Citizen TV’s drama Zora, which is one of the most watched local shows in the country at the moment.
Celestine Gachuhi
Celestine Gachuhi was born in 1997 and at the age of 21 got the chance to feature in an award winning soap opera. The alumni of Ole Tipis Girls loved drama from high school and was an active drama club member in form 1 and 2. She was, however, unable to continue with drama in high school as the school prohibited extra curricular activities for students in their final two years of school. This did not put out her fire for acting and after high school she began acting under Jicho Four Productions. Thereafter, she got the chance to play roles in two Agikuyu films. So exemplary were her acting skills that she finally landed a job acting on Selina.
Nick Mutuma
Nick Mutuma is one of the veteran actors in the country having started his acting career in 2008 and gotten roles in some of the biggest films in the country. He played Luka on Citizen TV’s drama series Tabasamu. He played a young man from an impoverished background who was involved with a sugar mummy. Since then, the former USIU student has been featured in some of the biggest films in the country. He has played roles in films, such as, Disconnect, Shuga, Sincerely Daisy, Skinny Girl in Transit and This Is It.
Brenda Wairimu
Brenda Wairimu’s biggest role was in the Kenyan drama Mali, where she played the role of a rich girl struggling with drugs. From then on, so many doors have been opened for her and she has gotten lead roles in so many TV productions. Her acting prowess play major roles on Shuga, Disconnect, Subira and Monica. She also co-hosted a show on Ebru TV and has been nominated and won a couple of awards.
Catherine Kamau Karanja
Catherine Kamau is an actress who is good at what she does and she knows it. Her breakthrough role was on Citizen TV where she played Selina. In the role, she was the wife of a drunkard named Charlie whose mother never really liked her. She played the role so effortlessly and was soon chosen as Harpic brand ambassador.
After Mother-in-Law, she had difficulty getting roles but has since featured in some dramas) movies including Sue na Johnnie and Plan B. She also has a role in a Gikuyu soap opera called Ithaga where she does an amazing job.
Naomi Kamau
Naomi Kamau played the role of Alison on Mother-in-Law TV drama. She also worked behind the scenes on Tahidi High and Machachari and was a producer of a show named Shamba Shape-Up. Every show she has worked on has been a massive success. She believes in telling the African story the African way and has written shows that depict the reality of Kenya’s social situation, at times in a humorous manner.
Bridget Shighadi
Bridget became a popular name for her role on Citizen TV’s Maria drama series. She showcased real talent even as she played the villain who hated the main character, Maria, with a passion. She is playing Yola on Zora where she is a villain yet again. Her face has become familiar among many Kenyans and apart from acting she is also a model.
Quincy Rapondi
Despite enrolling for undergraduate studies in engineering, Quincy’s passion lay in acting. However, landing roles was not so easy as he auditioned for several roles without success. His big break came when he got the role of Thomas, a gardener, on Maria. He had previously auditioned for the role of the lead actor Luwi and not that of the gardener but nonetheless managed to do an amazing job as Thomas. When the program came to an end, he got the chance to act on Zora as Kwame and he is doing an awesome job as one of the lead actors.
Robert Agengo
Robert began acting in the 90s and after high school began working with Jicho Four Productions where he acted set books. He then got the chance to work in some big projects, such as, Mali and a Netflix acclaimed movie called The Boy Who Harnesses the Wind. He also okayed a role in the Kenyan Netflix thriller 40 Sticks. Currently, he plays Fela on Zora where he is showcasing the real meaning of true talent.
