Have you ever heard of the saying ‘Najivumilia kuwa Mkenya’?
The very idea that in order to prosper, (especially when it comes to talent and entertainment) you need to be out of the country? Where does that come from?
Granted, we do have an entertainment industry that struggles to keep the arts alive in our country, but when it comes to Kuomoka, you just might need out of here.
And in that vein, here are some of the international celebrities that said ‘Adios’ to Kenyan entertainment and went to prosper in the west!
Elsa Majimbo
While not the first, Elsa single-handedly put Kenya on the International map when it comes to fashion and Vogue just by… being herself!
She got her first 15 minutes of fame when her sarcastic comedy flicks began making the rounds, garnering more and more attention from celebrities that found her sense of humour appealing.
Since then, Elsa has flown herself out, flown her entire family out, been on countless magazine editions including Vogue, worked with a sizeable number of luxury fashion designers including Valentino, and has been to the Met Gala. What the?
She, however, was shamed in our country, and many people did not like her humour, which is not that good for us…but great for her!
Patricia Allison
Some people don’t know this but Ola from S*x Education is Kenyan!
At the time, most people only recognized Lupita for her Oscar but come on, you gotta give it to her, she’s been on Les Miserables –and she kills it with the character on SE!
Her Kenyan roots began to show when she uploaded a picture of her grandma, oh, and the Kenyan flag on her Instagram Bio is a good indicator too, no?
Kimberly Leonard
Kimberly is one of the most revered News Anchors in London’s Sky News, but most don’t know she’s from here.
Not only is she Kenyan born, Kim fully knows Kiswahili and Kikuyu. Even her mom reads the clock in Kikuyu!
However, once people found out, she immediately went viral.
Sami Jacuzzi
Seasoned actor Sammy Nagi Njuguna has been making waves in the US, horror scene with his role on Amazon Prime’s ‘Black As Night’ starring as Tunde which premiered about a week ago and has been doing rather well on the charts too!
Another fun fact, he is the older brother to Barrack Jacuzzi, a Kenyan rapper and famous ‘Rich kid’.
The first time as the main character, Sammy is also known for stellar roles in films like ‘The 5th Quarter’, ‘For My Man’, ‘NCIS: New Orleans’ among several others!
See? We got that juice –it’s a matter of getting out there and sharing Kenyan talent!
Edi Gathegi
The “Start Up” and “Blacklist” superstar is also of Kenyan origin.
Because of his mastery of the English language many might actually think he is an American native but this is not the case.
Gathegi was born in Kenya before he moved to the United states where he studied and ignited his passion for acting.
He has made appearances in several top-grossing tv shows and movies.
Lupita Nyong’o
Lupita Nyong’o achieved global fame and critical acclaim for her role as Patsey in the historical drama film “12 Years a Slave” (2013). Her performance in the film earned her numerous accolades, including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, making her the sixth black actress to win an Oscar in that category. Lupita is also a Kenyan, daughter Anyang Nyong’o.
