Snappy 7: Makena – People need to go to school – VIDEO
Actor Christine Njeri, popularly known for her role as Makena in the TV show Tahidi High, is also the producer and director of youth show Teen Republik which airs on NTV every Saturday.
She talked to Nairobi News about her journey in the film industry and why she is a big advocate of education.
1. Tell us a little bit about yourself? I’m a TV producer and director by profession; I produce the show Teen Republik on NTV. I’m an on screen personality and actress, though it has been two years since I have been on screen on an acting role. I’m more of an outdoor person. I love cycling, I’m a mix of everything that is fun and hype.
2. Why the name Makena? Makena in Meru means kukena, that is to smile. I think I’m always smiling. So when Tahidi High was casting and I went to the set, the director and producer started calling me Makena and it has since stack. Many people, even my family call me Makena.
3. Why did you choose acting? Acting has been something I loved and wanted to do since I was a young kid… it runs in the family. My mother was an actress even before I was born and a drama teacher therefore I directly got it from her. I used to accompany her to rehearsals and the likes.
I started acting from preschool, won awards and kept going on through my primary school and high school. From there I landed into Tahidi High which opened up doors for me to feature in two international movies one in South Africa and another in the United States. It was exciting as I was only 19 when I got to the international feel.
4. Talking international, are you planning to go big on this? I would say that that is what I wanted but at the end of the day I had to follow my career path as in Kenya being an actor is not something one can fully survive on. You have to indulge in different activities in order to keep up, so in University I studied film production that way I followed my career as being a TV producer and director.
5. In a way, how have you helped the industry? I have a company called Mystic Production where I do different kinds of productions. One thing is I cannot employ you if you’ve not studied something. It will mean that I will just be giving you knowledge and skills without any proper foundation. Go to school learn something. People need to go to school.
6. How do you relax at home when you are not working? I listen to music a lot. I also like games. You will constantly find my friends and I doing games nights like poker, chess, scrabble, those are some of the things that I enjoy. I also enjoy going to Karura forest, taking a walk or jog.
7. What is the most exciting thing that has happened to you as a TV personality on screen or behind the scenes? Doing my first international movie in South Africa I must say that was very exciting. I was young very green, had never been out of the country and then after that the States opened up, it is a fun world, makes you a fun loving person.
The funniest part though had to be when I acted a Kikuyu short movie where I was a Kamba girl who had just come to the city a ‘kamshamba’chuckles) I shall not share the name of this movie.
