By Prudence Minayo
Many know her as “Shiro” from her hilarious character in the popular TV series “Aunty Boss.” Nyce Wanjeri is an award winning actress with an incredible talent. She is so talented that many actually believe that whatever she portrays on TV is the real her. In what can be described as an awkward moment, a fan of the program refused to greet her saying she is a bad maid. Here is her story.
Education
Nyce went to a rural school where they were taught in Kikuyu. Later, she joined Komothai Girls high school where she had to seclude herself until she learnt to speak like the rest of the students.
Family
The actress revealed in an Instagram post of a childhood that was full of negative energy from close relatives. She recounted how she would overhear her relatives claiming that she would amount to anything. part of the post reads: “They didn’t care that I could hear them and that they are speaking to my spirit. “Kaschana kana macho kubwa na kamwili ni kijiti, mdomo kiherehere tu.”
“This really messed up my self-confidence. At a young age, I vowed to bring up my young ones in an environment full of positive vibes, letting them know that they do not need people’s approval to know their worth, intelligence or beauty. I went through it so that they don’t have to. The cycle had to be broken, break yours too.”
The actress is a mother to a beautiful baby girl.
She had a public break up with the father of her child. Her estranged husband Titus Wagithomo posted the following message on Facebook:
“ Why am I using Facebook? My marriage is over. So painful I swear. I saw it coming though, success causes absenteeism, lack of bonding and lack of family time. Why did I imagine we will last forever? We are both artists, it’s normal. It doesn’t work,” wrote Titus though he later pulled down the post.
Nyce told Massawe her split with Wagimotho was as a result of his disrespect:
“It is true we broke up, just like he said. Every marriage has its teething problems. Every partner in a relationship has a side to him or her that causes friction in the union. I do not want to say [we broke up] as a result of me challenging his position as a man in the union. I won’t say much because you never know what happens in the lives of people who share a blanket together; so much goes on between them…”
She went on to say:
“When we were seven years old in the relationship, money began flowing in; for him and I. It was at that point that I started noticing serious elements of disrespect in him. Of course, there were pockets of disrespect before, but after crossing the 7-year line, the degree of disrespect in him ballooned. I felt it was getting worse by the day, and I could feel it was weighing me down….”
Nyce said that the disrespect had gone on for sometime and she had to let go:
“I say when someone disrespects you today, tomorrow and the day thereafter, and he is not showing any signs of changing for the better, you would, of course, get tired of his or her disrespectful habits. And, you realise his disrespectful habits, when you mature mentally..”
Career
Like many other actors, she started at the Kenya National Theatre where she did set book plays for three years. She gave birth to her daughter around this time and she had to leave her with the father when she was needed on stage and the father did the same when he was needed on set.
In 2013, she landed her first TV role in a KBC program called “Merimela’s House.” Her daughter was four months at the time. She went on to join Johara and Fanaka Arts where one of the founders of Moon Beam called and asked her to audition. She aced the audition like a pro and managed to leave the people in stitches. This is how she got into the sitcom “Aunty Boss.” (Source:Daily Nation).
Auntie Boss brought her fame and ‘fortune’. She played the role of a naïve housemaid who was always doing the opposite of what the boss said. In real life, no one would want to hire such a house maid. However, the boss’ baby boy bonded with her so much making it difficult to fire her. After a long run, she announced her exit from the show on social media:
“Now, for 15 seasons, that is almost 200 episodes on NTV. Auntie Boss has been my home. I have been humbled to work with an amazing production house that is Moonbeam and their very able selection of cast and crew. I have been blessed and lucky so far, but that beautiful journey that started three or so years ago is soon coming to an end. This coming Tuesday, the 18th of September, will have me on my last fresh episode of Auntie Boss on NTV, lakini repeats zitakua Maisha Magic bado….” Read part of her post.
After leaving the sitcom, she joined a Kikuyu drama.
New Boyfriend
The new man in her life is Calvin Kipkemboi Letin.
Award
The former Auntie Boss actress was nominated for the African Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA) alongside other big names in the African acting scenes, such as Rita Dominic. When she was announced the winner, she couldn’t believe it. In fact, she had prepared for anything including not winning as she revealed in an interview with Ebru TV.
