Born in Kenya, Katricia Kariuki is a stage to screen actress who graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Art in Acting from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. She is trained in stage combat; armed and unarmed, acting for film and television, as well as stage performance. In an exclusive interview, Flickering Myth sat down with Katricia to talk about her latest movie Once Bitten filmed in Los Angeles.
Hi Katricia Kariuki, welcome to Flickering Myth! What got you into acting and made you realize that it was your chosen path?
I’ve been acting since I was in fourth grade. It started with LAMDA classes at school and quickly progressed being in plays. I loved being a part of big productions, and the rehearsal process. I enjoyed the process of getting to know the character I was playing. I was a really confident little girl. But as the years went on and I went through life, I lost a lot of my confidence and became a pretty anxious teenager. Acting became a medium for me to gain my confidence back. It was exposure therapy for me and the more I kept on exercising the muscle, the more confidence I got. Also, directing my characters became a time where I was completely outside of myself and could focus on the creative choices I would be making. I decided to go into acting professionally because it is the only thing that makes me feel fulfilled. The choice to go into acting was not an easy one to make however. I have had family say to me that I might end up unable to support myself and wasting my potential. I refused to let this thinking discourage me and to take me away from my chosen path. I love my craft; I think it’s the most challenging and intriguing thing to do. It makes me feel whole, and it gives me a lot of peace and fulfillment.
What are some of your early acting experiences?
The first performance I was ever in was rumpus in the rainforest. I was in grade 3, and I played the jaguar. I thought it was the coolest thing ever and had a whole solo to perform. I always hated having to go for tuition after school, but I remember just how enthused I was every time I had to go to the dance studio to rehearse my choreography. I was a pretty un-athletic kid, but I would sprint to the thematic room to go over my songs, arriving to the scene out of breath, but on time.
Tell us something people may not know about you.
I’m a trained vocalist and love to sing. I went up to grade five at the Royal Schools of Music and performed at all the talent shows throughout my primary and high school years. I even performed at events back in Kenya.
I also speak conversational Swahili and am a pretty extroverted person. I can do make-up both on myself and other people (I took a course in college). I can also swim and jump rope. I’m also trained in stage combat, both unarmed and armed. I trained in college and always had a blast making up the choreography. Finally, I am a writer and really enjoy writing comedic scripts.
You’ve just wrapped a movie, tell us about Once Bitten.
The story follows my character Bonnie as she struggles to make ends meet in order to pay for her father’s medical treatments. She had a heart of gold but was dealt bad cards in life. She also wasn’t very discerning and was too trusting of the people around her, who took advantage of her. She starts selling drugs because her salary from the restaurant just isn’t enough. It also follows who she thought was her best friend, but who we soon find out had ulterior motives.
Do you think you are like your character?
I am like Bonnie in the sense that I love my family and friends deeply. I’ve had my fair share of burns but try to give people second chances. I’m different from Bonnie in that I watch the company I keep and have limitations on what I am willing to do for money. However, I sympathize with her, and understand how sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures.
How did you prepare for the role?
I prepared for the role by pulling from my own personal experiences when it comes to having sick family members. I implemented Stanislavski’s magic if and really put myself in her shoes when it came to drug dealing and the desperate situation she was in.
Can you share any fun facts from the set?
We shot well into the night some nights, but it was really fun, and everyone kept the energy up. Some parts of the story were very physical and so my stage combat training definitely came in handy. I had the best burrito ever on that set.
We are excited to see it. What’s the best way to follow you online?
Thank you! Please check out my Katricia Kariuki – IMDb and Instagram
Our thanks to Katricia Kariuki for taking the time for this interview, and to Liz Rodriguez from EMR Media for helping us with the interview.
