This archive report was first published on 9 June 2020.
Angie Magio, a talented Kenyan actress, has taken the world of Swahili television by storm with her portrayal of Messina in the award-winning telenovela Selina. But what makes her character so compelling is that Magio herself is nothing like the villainous Messina.
With over 330,000 fans on Facebook, Selina is one of the most-watched and talked-about shows in Kenya. Magio's character, Messina, is a woman who will stop at nothing to achieve her goals, even if it means sacrificing her own children. But Magio insists that she is not like her character, saying, “I know that Angie is not like Messina; that is just a character that I have to play.”
Magio's journey to becoming a villain began when she joined the cast of Selina, a show that was already well-established with a cast that had a strong relationship. She was coming from Maza, a rival show that had earned her a Kalasha nomination for Best Actress in 2018. Magio played the role of Kate, a woman who turned her best friend into a cat out of jealousy and stole her life.
When Magio joined Selina, she was initially scared because of the show's reputation and the cast's established relationship. However, she credits the directors for helping her to separate her character from her previous role in Maza, saying, “There had to be a difference and the directors really helped me take off that pressure and pull off the role of Messina.”
Magio also praises her co-star Pascal Tokodi, who plays the dual roles of her sons, Nelson and Nathan. She says, “I have so much respect for Pascal Tokodi, especially since he’s playing two roles (Nelson and Nathan) this season. He’s done both roles so well; you can tell that these are two different people.”
Despite the challenges of being away from her family due to the show's production schedule, Magio is grateful for the opportunity to work on Selina. She says, “My children mean everything to me and I’ve never been away from them for this long. It’s even harder during this lockdown period because I can’t visit them over the weekend like I used to.”
