- Brenda Ngeso plays the role of Maureen in the popular TV series Becky
- She studied dancing in college and has risen to become a big name in Kenya
Brenda Ngeso is one of the lead actors in the Swahili telenovela series ‘Becky’, which premiered on Citizen TV on July 31, 2023, and replaced the popular Sultana series.
On the show, she plays the character of Maureen, Becky’s sister.
But despite her acting prowess, Brenda is more than just a thespian.
For instance, did you know that she studied dancing in college? Or that she drew the architectural blueprint for her parents’ house in the village?
In this article, WoK unfolds the journey of this rising star.
Background
Brenda Ngeso hails from the Luo community. In a recent interview, she revealed she was born in the Kibera area of Nairobi.
Due to undisclosed reasons, she attended various primary schools before proceeding to Lions High School in Kisumu, where she sat her KCSE.
Growing up, her initial dream was to become an architect. However, the world of acting was always beckoning.
Her mother played a role in nudging her towards the acting career, as she would give her skits to perform.
“But I never thought acting would be my future career,” said Brenda.
Acting career
Ngeso began her professional acting career in 2013 as an actor in Citizen TV’s Mother-in-Law program.
Bit by bit, she was featured in minor roles on other local shows and movies until she made her big break by landing a major role on the show Mpakani, where she played the role of Adhis.
She has also acted on other shows like Crime and Justice, where she played the role of Officer B. She has also been featured on other TV programs like Njoro Wa Uba.
She landed the role of Maureen on The Becky Show when she saw the audition advert and applied for a position.
“When they announced auditions, I just sent my picture and they invited me for a screen test. I was lucky that day. That was how I landed the role,” she said.
In later interviews, she admitted that playing the character of Maureen has been among the hardest roles she has ever played since Mo has a completely different character from her real life.
She however added that landing a role on Becky was a breakthrough as the show airs on prime time on Citizen TV, which boasts one of the largest viewership in the country.
“Acting on Becky gave me a big breakthrough. It gave me a chance to showcase my talent to other actors and producers who did not previously know me,” she said.
If she were to switch roles on Becky, she said she would play the role of Martha.
She said she likes how the character portrays a lowkey life, focusing on her family to the extent she would do anything to protect her children.
Salary
WoK does not have the exact details as to how much Maureen Ngeso earns from the Becky show.
However, in 2020, a top TV producer who spoke to Kenyans.co.ke revealed that citizen TV actors are paid between sh 10 000 and 25 000 per episode depending on their role.
The Becky show airs from Monday to Friday from 7.30 to 8 pm. Therefore, it is possible that Maureen Ngeso ears at least sh 50,000 per week.
Earlier, the show’s creator Lulu Hassan disclosed that veteran actors earn significantly more than debutants.
Away from an acting career
Aside from acting, Maureen plays the role of assistant director in the Becky series. She is also a scriptwriter, having written three in-house movies.
As mentioned earlier, she is also an avid dancer, having studied dancing in college. She has been featured in several musical shows, including a show called Dream Girls Musical.
She was also part of the dance crew that performed during the launch of Two Rivers Mall.
In her personal life, Brenda Ngeso is the proud mother of a 14-year-old who will be part of this year’s KCPE candidates.
