When I was younger, I was almost too afraid to admit that I wanted to be an actor. I didn't know any successful actors in Kenya, so I felt like I could get away with going to college to study film more easily than I could with saying, 'I want to be an actor.' That's what I did.

And my one prayer to God, the miracle worker, was that I would wake up lighter-skinned.

European standards of beauty are something that plague the entire world - the idea that darker skin is not beautiful, that light skin is the key to success and love. Africa is no exception.

I like people who don't tell you what you want to hear.

What I've learned from myself is that I don't have to be anybody else. Myself is good enough.

My immediate family was always very supportive. It was my own fear of the rest of the world not accepting me, the rest of our society not accepting my wish to be an actor.

With success comes more responsibility, a larger size of existence, which is uncomfortable.