Ellah Maina Kenyan Actor leads Adam to Eve, unpacking gender, empathy and identity through humour and performances
When she burst onto the scene with her Kalasha-winning performance in Nick Mutuma’s Sincerely Daisy at the height of the pandemic, Ellah Maina instantly became one of Kenya’s rising actors.
Over the years, she has worked with renown filmmakers including Adam Neutzsky-Wulff in Crime and Justice and Second Family as well as featuring in indie films such as Why U Hate, The Priest is Dead, Ubuntu, The Cursed Gown and Into the Sadlands.
She now stars in Showmax’s Adam to Eve playing the role of Eve – formerly Adam (Blessing Lungaho) in this sharp, funny, and thought-provoking gender-swap dramedy. The series follows Adam, a smooth-talking ladies’ man, whose world turns upside down when a mysterious curse forces him to live life as a woman.
In an exclusive, Ellah speaks on her latest project:
Who is Ellah Maina?
I am an actor, voiceover artist, and all-rounded filmmaker. My government name is Stella. However, when I was a kid, I was obsessed with Disney’s Cinderella. And the people around me just started calling me Ellah, and it just stuck.
I consider myself a very spiritual person. I’m a sister, I’m a first-born daughter, and if you can relate to that, being a first-born daughter in an African household is a full-time job. So yeah, I don’t ever catch any breaks from that.
And what am I? I’m a lover of plants and animals. I connect so much with nature, and I think I am one of the most empathetic people I know. Because I feel like I have a personal connection with everyone I meet, despite having spent very little time with them, or a lot of time. I just feel naturally drawn to people.
You and your co-star Mathew Ngugi studied Film and Theatre Arts at Kenyatta University. How did you get your first career break?
You know people always assume I grew up a drama kid. In high school, basketball was my whole life. I was even the team captain. Drama festivals and ball games always clashed, and trust me, I wasn’t about to trade a championship for a monologue.
Then Lupita won that Oscar. And when she said, “No matter who you are or where you’re from, your dreams are valid,” I swear that woman was talking directly to me. From that moment, something in me shifted. I wanted to act. I needed to act. So, when I joined Kenyatta University, I walked straight into Film and Theatre Arts knowing exactly what I wanted to do.
By the end of my first year, I walked into this random audition. I wasn’t even chasing anything big; I just showed up. A few days later, the call came: I had landed the lead role on NTV’s — The Trap House. If you remember that Kashamba girl… yep, that was me, green as grass but giving it my all.
Everything just started falling into place after that.
Now, about Mathew Ngugi. Yes, we both studied film and theatre at KU, but here’s the gag: I don’t remember where or how we first met. I know, I know he is going to roast me for this. But from the day we connected, that was it. We were inseparable.
How has your career evolved having worked with the likes of Nick Mutuma to Adam Neutzsky-Wulff?
Sincerely Daisy changed everything for me. Working with people the best creatives like Nick and Adam gave me a front-row seat to Kenya’s fast-rising film industry and opened doors to international filmmakers. That kind of access isn’t something I take for granted; it laid the foundation for my entire career, and I am eternally grateful for it.
What drew you to Adam to Eve?
Initially I just wanted to be a part of it because the Freaky Friday situation is such a fun idea, and I do love a good challenge; it is always a chance for me to uncover my layers as an artist and find out what I am really made of. It is after I booked the part that I realized how real this fictional story was… it told my story and that of most, if not every other woman on the planet. Nick Mutuma once said to me that it takes a strong female lead to shape the minds of a generation, and that’s exactly what I hoped to achieve with Adam to Eve.
How did you prepare to play a woman who was once a man?
Let us just say it wasn’t your average prep. I had to go a bit method for this one. I studied everything; how men walk, talk, sit, chew, even how they shower. It was all about observing and imagining life through a testosterone-fueled lens. I would hang out in different bars, from the local joints to the fancy spots, just watching how men behaved once the drinks kicked in. That is when the masks drop, and you see who people really are. It became my perfect case study — raw, unfiltered masculinity in motion.
Which moment in the show changed how you view gender expectations?
There is an episode where Eve gets her period, and it hit differently. PERIOD SHAMING IS SO NOT COOL! It is wild to think that in 2025, we are still dealing with stigma and misinformation around something as natural as female reproductive health. So, let’s do better to educate ourselves and each other…have a little empathy.
The series addresses serious themes through humor. How did you find the right emotional balance for Eve?
NGL, I looooved having Alex as my director. He is so silly and fun to be around. That coupled with a brilliant mind such as his would have automatically made this such a smooth experience for anyone who would have got the role. But the real reason is probably because I consume a lot of comedy and statistics suggest that I do have quite the sense of humor… dad jokes mostly but hilarious regardless.
What do you hope women watching Eve’s journey will take away from the show?
I hope you feel accurately represented by Eve’s struggle, I hope you feel seen and heard and validated. We know it’s not easy, but we thrive anyway, that’s how powerful we all are. When we fully tap into our feminine energy, we become unstoppable. Stand up Queen!
What was your experience working opposite Blessing Lungaho in such layered scenes?
It was fun having a twin even though our physical forms were painfully distinct. He is a good actor, so it was easy to build a brotherly bond which is exactly what Eve and Makori had.
If you could spend one day as Eve in real life, what would you do first?
Honestly, I’m not sure I would ever want to be Eve😂. Don’t get me wrong. She’s great and everything but her life wasn’t the sauciest. She was always crashing out! But gun to my head, I would probably have a night out in Vegas with the work buddies, even Mrs. Obama (Gashiki Gashiki) and Mr Babu (Chris Kamau) are invited. One thing about Eve, just like Adam, she can party.
Who/what are your creative inspirations?
I look at Lupita and Thuso Mbedu and see myself. And sure, as a rock, one day I’m going to star in a film with each of them, and what a day that will be for Africa and girls like me from all over the globe. My boy Edi Gathegi is killing it in Hollywood.
Wanuri Kahiu is also a pretty badass filmmaker. Remember when Rafiki came out and caused so much controversy. I love something that gets people talking. That shows you that we have a very long way to go as an industry, as a people and as a country. We need to be a bit more open-minded and more forward-thinking. We need to tell these stories that happen around us daily.
What’s your go-to comfort snack after a long day on set?
An avocado sandwich with runny eggs and chilli oil.
What is your guilty pleasure show or movie?
The gory universe of The Boys, Gen V and Invincible.
What’s one thing fans would be surprised to learn about you?
I had the craziest tomboy phase as a teenager
What are you currently listening to on Spotify?
Hiphopera, basically a fusion of HipHop and Opera. That and the Mkurugenzi Podcast.
