‘I don’t have a crush on Atwoli’, Zora actress Neema Sulubu
Neema Sulubu has appeared in a number of notable Swahili telenovelas in the country ranging from Moyo, Utandu, Aziza and Zora. Photo| ktwon photography
What you need to know:
Neema Sulubu is an actress who has appeared in a number of notable Swahili telenovelas in the country ranging from Moyo, Utandu, Aziza and Zora
I was born and raised in Malindi and come from a family of seven siblings.
No, I have never been to a theatre school, mine is a raw talent, and my learning has been taking place while on set.
I don’t count myself lucky as far as my acting career is concerned. It's hard work. After high school, I was heavily involved with community drama groups and that’s how I was spotted.
I am a journalist by training.
The main challenge I face being an actress, is that of time management. As a woman actor, I never have enough time to spend with my loved ones because we are always on set. Imagine you are someone’s wife or a mother, and you have to leave home at dawn and return at midnight. But what choice do we have? You need to have someone understanding.
I love what the film industry has become, gone are the days when it was all male-dominated. The roles have since changed, we are seeing more women taking on bigger roles and even earning more.
I dearly miss my father. May his soul rest in peace. When I started this acting journey I didn’t expect it, but he was supportive of my endeavors. Not so many people get that kind of support in our African set-up.
Yes, I do struggle with fame. Expectations of people of me out there are very high if you know what I mean. They forget we are all trying to make ends meet.
Socially my life has had to change because of fame. For instance, I just can’t walk on the streets, buy mahindi choma and enjoy it in peace. Otherwise, there will be some paparazzi out there, looking to parade me on the blogs. Or you get swamped by fans. I miss a normal life.
The good thing is fame hasn’t affected my love life because as far as I’m concerned the two are two different worlds.
No, I don’t have a crush on Atwoli (Francis). Yes, I know what I said and it trended but hey that was just content. I mean he is a married man and I respect that but sometimes a little entertainment doesn’t hurt.
