Selina Actor, Celestine Talks About Her Journey Into Stardom
By: Absalom Mulama
Posted on Friday, January 29, 2021
If you are in the journey of acting, then you know the struggle of making it to the top premier shows. Selina...or rather Celestine Gachuhi tells shared her journey into staring in one of the most popular telenovelas in Kenya; ‘Selina’.
In an interview on SwitchTV Kenya’s evening show Chatspot, Celestine narrated how she quit school and was once a saloonist before giving acting career a shot. A risky shot that turned out to be one that flung her into stardom in Kenya’s glamorous film industry. So how did she start? What was her transition like from ‘Ua wa Kijiji’ to ‘Mwiba wa mji’?
After growing up in Murang’a then moving to Narok for high school, Celestine first set foot in Nairobi as an adult then humbly began her way into stardom. Living with her sister in Kayole, Celestine was a part-time saloonist as she studied Project Management in College. Driven by nothing but her passion for creative work, she started making music and practicing set book acting.
She however was not comfortable with the pay in set book gigs, and she decided to focus on her saloonist side hustle. Celestine later landed an acting gig in a Kikuyu show and since she was a village girl, she fit this role which ended up being her first televised show.
Her friend however recommended her to audition for Selina, hinting that she would fit the role perfectly. Celestine flaked on the first set of auditions.
To show just how much the role fit her, the show’s producers ran two auditions and had not found exactly who they wanted. It was when they ran the final auditions in March 2017 and immediately Celestine stepped on stage, they knew she was the one.
The telenovela, Selina tells the story of an intelligent young woman of humble beginnings, Selina (played by Celestine Gachuhi), who has excelled in her fourth form exams and is bound to join university. Her mischievous stepmother crafts a wicked plot to sell her off to work as a maid for a wealthy family, the Mackenzies, putting her dreams to pursue further education, on hold.
One would say that based on her humble beginnings Celestine fits Selina’s role like a glove. No wonder her acting appears fluid, almost like she relates to the character, because she surely does.
“Celestine is 80% Selina,” the actress expressed.
When asked if she is planning to go back to school, Celestine replied, “Talent is not enough, I also need to have papers.” Hinting that she still sees the importance of an 8-5 profession and considers it in her future. The actress also said that she is planning to keep her options open in the arts by going back to making music.
Watch Celestine’s inspirational interview on Chatspot below.
