Lydia Gitachu: How I played the role of a 14-year-old boy

Lydia Nyambura Gitachu is well remembered for playing Teacher Chebii in Tahidi high, the Citizen TV high school drama. PHOTO| FILE| NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The book is about a story of burning injustice and the shameful end to colonial rule in Kenya told through the eyes of two small boys.
  • "Since I was in primary school I just knew I would be an actor. I was brought up by my grandparents in upcountry"
  • I once beat Lupita Nyong’o for a TV show during at the auditions. We were just the two of us left for the BBC show “Taking the Flak” which was shot in Tanzania in 2006.

She likes to call herself a creative entrepreneur. Lydia Nyambura Gitachu is well remembered for playing Teacher Chebii in Tahidi high, the Citizen TV high school drama. In 2010 she did a three-month tour in the UK with a theatre company known as Trestle Theatre Company before she did a BBC TV series that catapulted her career to international standards. In the tour, Gitachu, then 33, played a 14 year old boy called Mugo for the book “Burn my Heart” by Beverley Naidoo.

The book is about a story of burning injustice and the shameful end to colonial rule in Kenya told through the eyes of two small boys. At 39, she still believes her time is not yet over. She spoke to Hilary Kimuyu about the industry which she has been a part of for 16 years.

“I have been in the industry since 2001 and the reason I like to call myself a creative entrepreneur is because I immerse myself in anything that involves matters acting and a bit of directing especially for stage. The only thing that I have not done in this industry is be on a billboard. Everything else I have done. That is one thing I’m waiting for.

Since I was in primary school I just knew I would be an actor. I was brought up by my grandparents in upcountry. I remember I used to watch a show called “No One but You” and I wanted to act like those guys.

From there, my passion grew and I started acting in primary and then secondary school. But as you know, every parents’ dream for their child is to become either a lawyer or a doctor.

To fulfil my grandmothers wish, I did accounting. My college was in Nairobi, so in between classes I used to go to the National Theatre and practice.

I ONCE BEAT LUPITA NYONG’O FOR A TV SHOW

My first TV show was at KBC called Reflections in 2002. I have done several TV shows, from Tahidi High to Saints among others. I have been part of award-winning movies like the First Grader, Merry Wives of Windsor in Kiswahili where we were given a 5-star from The Guardian for our performance. My latest movie “Kidnapped” premiered in Kenya recently.

I once beat Lupita Nyong’o for a TV show during at the auditions. We were just the two of us left for the BBC show “Taking the Flak” which was shot in Tanzania in 2006. I like the way international companies work. They do not favour anyone and they always pick the best. At that time, maybe I was a bit older or maybe I had done more work than her so I got the role. So that means siko mbali sana, it tells me something. Dreams are valid, to quote her words.