Coco Kariuki Interview

Kenyan-born actress Katricia Kariuki talks graduating the American College of the Performing Arts with a BFA in Acting and her latest movies in Hollywood. In an exclusive interview, Film News sat down with Coco to talk about her movie ‘Cradle Of Doom.’


Can you introduce yourself for our readers please?
Hi! I am Katricia “Coco” Kariuki, an actor based in Los Angeles. I was born in Kenya, Africa.


What prompted you to be an actor?
I’ve been acting since I was in fourth grade. It started with LAMDA classes at school and quickly progressed being in plays. I loved being a part of big productions, and the rehearsal process. I enjoyed the process of getting to know the character I was playing. I was a really confident little girl. But as the years went on and I went through life, I lost a lot of my confidence and became a pretty anxious teenager. Acting became a medium for me to gain my confidence back. It was exposure therapy for me and the more I kept on exercising the muscle, the more confidence I got. Also, directing my characters became a time where I was completely outside of myself and could focus on the creative choices I would be making. I decided to go into acting professionally because it is the only thing that makes me feel fulfilled. The choice to go into acting was not an easy one to make, however. I have had family say to me that I might end up unable to support myself and wasting my potential. I refused to let this thinking discourage me and to take me away from my chosen path. I love my craft; I think it's the most challenging and intriguing thing to do. It makes me feel whole, and it gives me a lot of peace and fulfillment.


What made you move to Los Angeles?
I moved to Los Angeles for further training at both the American College of the Performing Arts and graduated this year with a BFA in Acting.


How important is training as an actor for you?
Training is very important to me because I have had my struggles with anxiety and am a pretty open book about it. My training taught me how to be connected to my body, grounded and in the moment so that I can deliver a truthful performance, without the consequences of anxiety. The more I can master my movements and creative choices, the more I am fully present and can transform into the character to tell their story truthfully.


Tell us about the movie ‘Cradle Of Doom’
Yes, so, the storyline follows a young couple, adjusting to life with their newborn. The mother develops postpartum psychosis after dealing with severe anxiety and sleep deprivation.


The is one dramatic title. What character do you play?
I played the lead role of Alisha, who is the mother and protagonist in the story.


Do you think you are like your character, or did you have to dig deep for this role?
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.


Who is the Producer and Director?
His name is Mac Leshabane, he’s a South African born director and was wonderful to work with!


With that came preparation. How did you prepare for the role?
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.


Can you share any fun facts from production?
The baby we used on set was freakishly realistic!


If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
I would say, stop worrying so much. You get to where you need to be at the right time, worrying only takes away your peace and enjoyment of the journey!


What’s up next for you?
I am about to start filming a series called ‘Life After College’, in addition to that, I am constantly auditioning and honing my craft as an actor in Los Angeles.

To find out more about Coco, visit her Katricia Kariuki - IMDb and Instagram.