From the African continent of Kenya Coco Kariuki is the latest actor rising to stardom in Hollywood. The young actress, who has a Bachelor of Fine Art in Acting from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Los Angeles, has been busy working on stage and screen in the entertainment capitol.
Her latest project, ‘Nyumbani’, has just wrapped on production and is already making an impact on the international film festival circuit.
Blackbird News chatted with Coco to discuss the exciting new feature film, ‘Nyumbani’.
HELLO COCO KARIUKI, WELCOME TO BLACKBIRD NEWS! WE ARE DELIGHTED TO TALK WITH YOU TODAY. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE PROJECT NYUMBANI?
Thank you! We are very excited about the new film “Nyumbani.” The story is about two young African culinary chefs as they start out their careers and work on opening up a restaurant together. They have lived in the US for a while but miss Kenyan delicacies and want to showcase East African food to the American market. The film sees the ups and downs of young entrepreneurship and the toll it takes on their friendship as they find their feet after graduation.
WHAT DOES NYUMBANI MEAN?
“Nyumbani” means “at home” in Swahili. Although it has a deeper meaning in different cultures, for example in Tanzanian culture, where it’s believed that a person’s birth town or village is part of their identity and where they will be laid to rest.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER IN THE MOVIE?
Yes, so I play the lead protagonist, Wachera, She is a young Kenyan culinary graduate, trying to figure out her professional career. We see her wrestling with self-doubt and pressure from her parents who expect a lot from her. She embarks on opening her own restaurant but encounters turbulence as tensions build between her and her business partner.
DOES HER NAME HAVE A PARTICULAR MEANING?
Interestingly yes… Wacherain Swahili means “the one who travels” which is quite fitting for this project.
ARE YOU ANYTHING LIKE YOUR CHARACTER?
To be honest, yes. I am definitely similar to my character. When I read the initial script, Wachera really spoke to me. She is very independent but struggles with the difficulty of living so far away from home, which has been true to my own experiences working in Los Angeles away from Kenya. It can be very lonely at times and overwhelming. I’ve definitely experienced that struggle in the past, but like Wachera, I love what I do and am fully committed to sacrificing whatever is needed for me to achieve my creative goals.
THE FILM HAS BEEN RECEIVING OUTSTANDING FILM FESTIVAL REVIEWS. CONGRATULATIONS ON ALL THE SUCCESS.
Thank you. Since wrapping production in Los Angeles, the team have submitted and been accepted into multiple internationally acclaimed film festivals including African Film Festival, Sony Filmmakers Festivals, Cine Youth Film Festival, Los Angeles Independent Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival and Newport Beach Film Festival.We are thrilled to have our movie accepted into so many prestigious film festivals.Once the movie completes its run, the team plans to release it on streaming platforms.
IN TODAY’S HOLLYWOOD, THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT PUSH FOR GREATER INCLUSIVITY AND REPRESENTATION. HOW DO YOU SEE YOUR WORK CONTRIBUTING TO THIS MOVEMENT, AND WHAT CHANGES DO YOU STILL HOPE TO SEE IN THE INDUSTRY?
As a Black Kenyan woman in Hollywood, I see my work as part of a larger movement to ensure diverse narratives are told with authenticity and depth. My role in this movement is to break stereotypes, challenge the limited portrayals of Black women, and bring a fresh perspective that represents not just the African experience, but the global Black experience. Being from Kenya, I carry with me a unique cultural richness that I hope resonates in my roles—whether through storytelling, accents, traditions, or the lived experiences that are often overlooked in mainstream media. Hollywood has made strides toward inclusivity, but there is still a long way to go. I hope to see a future where diverse stories are told not as a trend, but as a natural part of the industry’s fabric. This means not only casting more actors of different races and backgrounds but also ensuring these stories come from people with lived experience of those cultures. I want to see more African and diasporic voices in positions of power—directors, writers, producers—so that our stories are not just being told, but being told authentically. That is why Nyumbani was such a joy for me to star in.
In the future, I hope for an industry where our work is not viewed as a “niche” or novelty, but rather as an integral part of the global cinematic landscape. We need to continue pushing for roles that aren’t defined by our race or gender but by the full, complex humanity we each bring to the screen. Inclusivity should be the standard, not the exception.”
CAN YOU SHARE SOMETHING ABOUT YOU THAT PEOPLE MAY BE SURPRISED TO KNOW?
I love singing! Singing different genres feels the same as playing different characters. I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s fun and therapeutic.
You can stay up to date with Coco and the new movie ‘Nyumbani’ by visiting her Katricia Kariuki on IMDb and Instagram @katriciakariukii
