Celestine Gachuhi Opens Up on Her TV Comeback and Life Beyond Selina

After captivating Kenyans in Selina, one of Kenya’s most beloved TV heroines and Kalasha nominee, Celestine Gachuhi returned to the screen with her long-awaited Showmax debut.

Now a mother, wife, mentor, and women’s rights advocate, Celestine is proof that evolution doesn’t mean leaving the spotlight; it means shining in it differently.

In her latest role as Amanda in Adam to Eve, she embodies quiet strength and unshakable grace, reminding us why she remains one of Kenya’s most versatile and loved actresses.

Offscreen, her passion burns just as bright; mentoring young talent through Film Connect Africa and fighting gender-based violence through her Simama Initiative.

In an exclusive, Celestine speaks on life and her latest project:  

It's been a minute since we saw you on screen, post Selina and Kiu. Tell us how life has been since the conclusion of Kenya's most beloved show.

Yes, I know. It’s been a minute since you last saw me on screen after Selina. I did KIU about five months later, and then I took a deliberate step back. Life shifted in the biggest way possible. I became a wife. I became a mother. And everything changed.

Away from the spotlight, I have been building me: my brand, my purpose, and the parts of myself that exist beyond acting. I poured my energy into things close to my heart — mentoring young creatives through Film Connect Africa and standing up for women through SIMAMA Initiative, where we advocate against gender-based violence.

What’s been the impact of Film Connect Africa so far?

I remember when I started acting, I was green. No one told me what a set is really like, how industry works, or how tough it can be. That’s why I founded Film Connect Africa to expose upcoming actors to the real entertainment industry in Kenya. I bring my lived experience, the unspoken rules, the life skills, and the mindset they need to survive and thrive.

We’ve taken this into high schools, primary schools and colleges, and the impact has been powerful. Young creatives are now branding themselves, creating their own content, and using social media strategically. I tell them this all the time: don’t wait for opportunities, create them.

What is that one advice you got that you share with the budding storytellers?

Talent will take you up there, but discipline will keep you there.

In the show, Amanda holds her own among loud personalities. How did you craft that quiet strength?

Every time I get a character, I don’t just play her. I live her! I build her life in my head, even the parts the script doesn’t say. I connect the dots, step into her world, and exist there fully.

Amanda was special. She’s calm but strong. Bubbly but grounded. She’s the friend who holds your hand, lifts you up, and tells you the truth — even when it’s hard. I truly enjoyed giving her life.

What made her different from my past roles? Her joy. She knows how to have fun without guilt, even while carrying responsibility for her family.

What is the craziest thing you have faced from a fan?

This still shocks me when I think about it.

Back in 2019, a fan literally tracked me down to my house in Ruaka. One random 7 a.m., she showed up at my door bag in hand.

She told me she had been looking for me for a long time. Apparently, kids in the neighbourhood had pointed out my house because everyone knew where Selina lived. When I asked how I could help, she looked me straight in the eye and said,

“I have been looking for you because I want us to sing together.”

I tried to be calm. I told her I love singing, but I wasn’t doing music at the time. That’s when things turned uncomfortable.

She got angry. She kept insisting.

“No. I want us to sing together. I even have my bag.”

She repeated it over and over — refusing to take no for an answer.

At that point, I had to draw a hard line. I told her she needed to leave immediately, or I would call the police. She stormed off furiously.

I didn’t waste time. The moment she left, I made one call to my dad and arranged to move out. That incident changed how I think about fame, privacy, and safety forever.

How did your advocacy for women influence your approach to Amanda?

I love being a woman. I love empowering women. Every role I play, I approach it knowing that beyond being human, this character is a woman first.

So I handled Amanda with softness, strength, vulnerability, and grace — because that’s how real women live.