Hollywood is pervaded by star-studded actors and actresses who have spent years gracing our screens with blockbuster movies ever so often.
Only a handful of Kenyan thespians have thus far shattered the proverbial glass ceiling and emerged among the who’s who in the industry, notably Oscars winner Lupita Nyong’o and Edi Gathegi.
However, not to be left behind, another Kenyan made history by being the first African to attend Newyork Film Academy in Hollywood, New York, United States of America (USA).
Speaking during an interview on Her Standards show, Njoki Muhoho, detailed that her journey of art was derived from passion despite amassing over three decades in the corporate industry.
She noted that she had worked as a management consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) for 32 years before endeavoring to follow her passion for acting.
In 2003, she attended the New York Film Academy- rubbing shoulders with the who’s who in the industry from Steven Spielberg and George Clooney to Mark Wooster, Vice President of Universal Studios. Muhoho expressed pride in her work for excelling in both fields.
“In Kenya, try and list the top 50 producers, most of them will be female. This is because women can multitask so there is a lot we incorporate in the field,” she noted.
She also left her footprint in the local industry, producing shows such as Changes, and Mama Duka, which became an instant success.
The opportunity to produce Changes came after her company, Zebra Productions was commissioned to produce the show- touted as Kenya’s first high-end drama series.
Muhoho wrote three seasons for the show and was also contracted to write 158 episodes of Mama Duka.
They were tasked to produce over 70 films in three months- which would be a herculean task for any producer.
“We produced four films every week, and if we didn’t have a script available, I being a writer, would create one,” she told Queenter Mbori, the host of the weekly TV segment that airs on KTN Home.
Her passion for art and creativity rose from a younger age despite pursuing a Degree in Business Education from Kenyatta University and a Masters in Mass Communication from Leicester University in the United Kingdom.
Due to her projects, she earned a contract with the New York Film Academy to become a filmmaker. She is also the current director of Multichoice Talent Factory Academy for East Africa.
Source: kENYANS.CO.KE
