Here is a List of Kenyans Making it Big Worldwide - Amazing

Lupita Nyong’o

Lupita Amondi Nyong'o is a Mexican-Kenyan actress and filmmaker. She was born in Mexico to Kenyan parents and raised in Kenya. She attended college in the United States, earning a bachelor's degree in film and theater studies from Hampshire College

When Lupita Nyong’o starred in the Shuga TV series and produced the documentary In My Genes, little recognition came her way. Seven years later the actor is internationally revered for her award-winning roles in blockbuster movies.

Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
2014 · 12 Years a Slave




Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
2014 · 12 Years a Slave

Glamour Award for Woman of the Year
2014

Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female
2014 · 12 Years a Slave

BET Award for Best Actress
2014 · 12 Years a Slave

NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
2014 · 12 Years a Slave

Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Supporting Actress
2014 · 12 Years a Slave

Obie Award for Performance
2016 · Eclipsed

Glamour Award for The Breakthrough
2014

Benjamin Ochieng

Benjamin Ochieng’ made an entry into Hollywood in 2003 with Tears of the Sun, a war film by well-regarded Antoine Fuqua, Kwame in 2008, Inception in 2010, Default in 2014 and recently starred in God’s Not Dead. This man who has branded himself as a Swahili speaker in Hollywood films will return with a sequel, God’s Not Dead 2 this year. 

Edi Gathegi

Edi Gathegi is known for his work on X-Men: First Class, Twilight, Gone Baby Gone, Nikita, Veronica Mars, Beauty, Beast, House, Proof and now TV crime drama Blacklist. The son of the soil has starred in 31 TV and film productions in Hollywood. 

Lizz Njagah

Also making an impact in Nollywood is Lizz Njagah who has made a mark in Kenya and Nigeria. She has worked in TV series Makutano Junction and Saints, films House of Lungula, Veve, Fundi-mentals and Return of Lazarus — a Greco-Kenyan movie that won her Best Actress award at London Greek Film Festival. She considers her role as Tare Duke in Nigeria’s production Tinsel as her big break.

Tabitha Karanja

Karanja founded Keroche Breweries, the first ever brewery to be owned by a Kenyan. Although she faced many challenges with competition from multinationals, high taxation and meddling from high powered government officials – her resilience has seen the business grow into a well-respected company.

Beyond the expectations of her critics, Karanja invested in a Ksh.1 billion ($11.6 million) plant with the capacity of producing 6000 half-litre bottles per hour. With its flagship brands – Summit Lager and Summit Malt, the brewery has proved resilient in the market.

Eva Muraya

Muraya is the founder and CEO of Brand Strategy and Design, a regional brand strategy development agency. Her entry into the business world came only after a great personal tragedy – the loss of her husband. Muraya started Color Creations Africa Limited, a branded merchandise company. Until recently she was still the CEO at Color Creations.

Muraya has won numerous awards, including the premier Goldman Sachs Fortune Global Leaders Award. She was also nominated to receive The International Alliance for Women (TIAW) World of Difference 100 Award. In addition, Muraya is an alumnus of the Legatum Pioneers of Prosperity and her business Color Creations was a top finalist in the 2006 Africa Business Awards.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism and Marketing from the United States International University (USIU) in Nairobi and has attended both the IESE (University of Navarra) and Strathmore business schools.

Njeri Rionge

Rionge co-founded an Internet Service Provider Wananchi Group Holdings – one of East Africa’s leading providers of pay-TV, broadband internet and VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) services.

Last year the company raised US$57.5 million in growth capital from a group of international investors.

A typical serial entrepreneur, Rionge has founded a number of successful companies and currently runs several companies such as Ignite Consulting and Business Lounge, another one of her ventures.

Categories: showbiz