Rising Actor Mathew Ngugi on Fame, Faith and Finding His Voice in Adam to Eve

With just a few years into his acting career, Mathew Ngugi is proving to be one of Kenya’s brightest new stars; equal parts charm, depth, and pure talent.

From stealing scenes in Mo-Faya and Big Girl Small World to leaving fans swooning (and tweeting) after MTV Shuga Mashariki dropped, the Kenyatta University–trained performer is on a fast track to glory. But behind the rising star is a self-confessed introvert who still gets stage jitters and lovesgaming more than movies.

Now starring in Showmax’s Adam to Eve, Mathew brings his signature humor and emotional range to life as Jackson; the office loudmouth with zero filter and surprising heart. Offscreen, the Mathew remains grounded, drawing inspiration from childhood memories, faith, and the belief that his craft is a lifelong journey.

In an exclusive, Mathew speaks on his fast-rising career:

Whatinspired you to pursuea careerin acting?

I had alwayswanted to become an actor ever since Iwas 10 years old. I actively participated in extracurricular activities in school like music and drama.Ineverquitehadasolidcareerchoicegrowingup;I wouldalwaysshift,andIfigured the only job giving me an opportunity to be anyone and everyone was acting.

In 2024, we saw you in Big Girl Small World, Mo-Faya, and then MTVShuga Mashariki, which broughtyou to thelimelight.Tellushowithasbeenforyouinthepast year.

Ithas beensuchahugeblessinggettingtowitnessthisamountofgrowthinjust a few years of my career in film. I will admit that adjusting from a quiet lifestyle to one that exposes you to the public was a struggle because I had to learn how to interact with fans and the press. Tomakemattersworse,myintrovertednaturewasnothelpinginany way(lol).Onething I have learnt through this journey is that the minute you think you have reached your destination,when youlookup,thereisstillmoreroadtocover.Thereisstillsomuchto learnandgrowfromthisjourneyandIamexcitedtoseewheretheroadwillleadmeasI rely on God’s wisdom to help me navigate this path.

FanreactionstoMTVShugarangedfromhumorousmemestocritical commentary. Howdoesengagingwiththatfanfeedbackimpactyourfutureperformance?

The reason as to why I am in this career is because of the audience. Feedback is very important becausethatisoneofthesourcesthatlets youknowhow youraudiencethinksand feels.Without fan feedback (positive/negative) you are denied the opportunityto discover the loopholes that need fixing.

Youhavehadanopportunitytoworkwithlegendary filmmakersfromNickMutumatoReubenOdanga.Andnow thepowercouple,Lizz Njagah andAlex Konstantaras. How has this impacted your budding career? How was it working with Lizz andAlex?

Every director has their directing signature and approach to things. Part of being a professional actor is learning how to collaboratively workwithdirectorsandeffectivelycommunicatingyourideaswiththembecause,atthe end of the day, no one on set knows your character better than you do as an actor. I particularlyappreciatethefactthatLizzandAlexgavemethelibertytomakeJackson my own character. I’m super excited to see how he turned out.

IfAdam toEvewastohaveanycrossoverwithanyShowmaxOriginal,whichshow would that be?

 LOL!!! Single Kiasi

Whichartistorfilmmakerwouldyouliketoworkwith?

Timothee Chalamet

In the show, Jackson says what everyone else is thinking. How did you make him relatable, rather than just comic relief?

I crafted Jackson in a way that he doesn’t know how to read the room, and given his outspoken and unpredictable nature, he becomes comically out of touch with reality, which is something I once observed with one of my primary school classmates,whichwasfascinatingtome,and Iwasabletodrawafewcharacteristicsfrom him to Jackson.

WhichlineorscenedoyouthinkaudienceswillquotemostfromJackson?

There is this one scene where we have a party at the office. JacksoninviteshiscousintobetheDJ.EveaskswhoheisandJacksonreplies, ‘He’sDJ Bang…gi… DJ Bangi’I’ve never forgotten that scene, I don’t know why.

How does being part of an ensemble like this sharpen you as an actor?

In such a setup, you receive different energies from various actors, just as in real life. No one is an island; we all coexist and interact with each other differently, and through this, you learn about diversity.

What’snextforyou?

Iamparticularlyexcitedfor MTV Shuga Mashariki Season two coming early 2026.

What’syourgo-tocomfortsnackafteralongdayonset?

UrbanBites

Whichcastmatebreaks thecharacterduringseriousscenes?

I mightsayme.

Whohasthemostcontagiouslaugh onset?

EllahMaina’slaughissoposh,itjust sounds like money.

Whatisyourguiltypleasure?

Irarelywatchmovies;Iplaystory-driven,action-adventurevideogames.Currently,it’sUncharted–AThief’sEnd.

Ifyoucouldswapcharactersforoneday,whowouldyouchooseandwhy?

I wouldlike to know how it feels to be in Eve’s shoes.

What’sonethingfanswouldbesurprisedtolearnaboutyou?

Ihaveacrippledleft arm, which makes me low-key ambidextrous.