Coco Kariuki Talks Collaborating with South African Director Mac Leshabane

Actress Coco Kariuki is no stranger to the bright lights of Hollywood. The Kenyan-born leading actress has appeared in numerous stage and movie productions and is Hollywood’s hottest young starlet to watch. In addition to acting, Katricia is a singer who trained at the Royal Schools of Music in Kenya for many years.

As an actor some of Coco’s career highlights have been for her roles in Lunchtime; where she played the role of Angela, a fierce office gossip, Schoolgirl Figure; where she played the role of Jeanine, a competitive high-school student who goes up against a school bully, Bonnie in Once Bitten, a young girl struggling to provide for herself and her father’s medical treatments, and Katlegho, a young woman, living with her best friend while navigating her abusive relationship.

Living in Los Angeles her talent to speak both English and conversational Swahili, has given her a unique cutting edge when working in film, as has been her training in both unarmed and armed combat. She is often invited to attend industry and charity events in Hollywood.

Coco’s latest movie is Cradle Of Doom. The storyline follows a young couple, adjusting to life with their newborn baby. The mother, and main protagonist, Alisha (played by Coco) develops postpartum psychosis after dealing with severe anxiety and sleep deprivation.

“I definitely had to do some research around the condition to fully understand how to truthfully portray Alisha on the screen. When it comes to serious mental health issues and portraying them on camera, I think it’s very Important to take the task seriously and understand the technical issues so that we can make choices that are honest and true to the serious topic at hand.” stated Kariuki in a recent interview with Film News.

“It is a very sensitive subject, so I prepared first by doing my research, then by breaking down the script and doing my analysis which helped me form my opinions and internal dialogue of the character.”

The new film project, which is set to start filming later this month in Los Angeles, is directed and produced by Mac Leshabane, a popular South African born director.