By Eddah Waithaka
When a global pandemic locked down the world, a new star flickered to life on Kenyan screens. Ellah Maina burst onto the scene with a Kalasha-winning performance in Sincerely Daisy, instantly marking herself as a rising force.
Now, she takes on her most transformative role yet in Showmax’s sharp, funny, and thought-provoking new dramedy, Adam to Eve.
The series flips the script on a smooth-talking ladies’ man, Adam (Blessing Lungaho), when a mysterious curse forces him to live life as a woman—Eve, played by Maina.
In an exclusive interview, the actor spills on the challenges, the revelations, and the pure fun of bringing this gender-swap story to life.
A Star Forged by an Oscar Speech
Forget the typical drama kid origin story. Maina’s first love was basketball. “I was even the team captain,” she reveals. “Drama festivals and ball games always clashed, and trust me, I wasn’t about to trade a championship for a monologue.”
Then, Lupita Nyong’o won her Oscar. “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,” Maina says.
Something shifted. She entered Kenyatta University for Film and Theatre Arts with a single purpose. By the end of her first year, a random audition led to her first big break: the lead role in NTV’s The Trap House.
“If you remember that Kashamba girl… yep, that was me, green as grass but giving it my all.” Everything started falling into place.
Method in the Madness: Becoming Eve
Adam to Eve presented a unique challenge: playing a woman experiencing the world for the first time in a man’s body.
Maina’s preparation was anything but ordinary.“I had to go a bit method for this one,” she admits. “I studied everything; how men walk, talk, sit, chew, even how they shower.”
Her research took her to bars from local joints to fancy spots to observe unfiltered male behavior once drinks flowed. “That’s when the masks drop, and you see who people really are. It became my perfect case study.”
This deep dive led to profound moments on set. One episode, where Eve gets her period, particularly resonated. “PERIOD SHAMING IS SO NOT COOL!” Maina exclaims. “It’s wild to think that in 2025, we still deal with stigma. Let’s do better to educate ourselves… have a little empathy.”
Laughter, Legacy, and Lupita Dreams
Despite the heavy themes, Adam to Eve delivers its message through humor a balance Maina credits to a brilliant team and her own love for comedy (“dad jokes mostly”).
She found a perfect scene partner in Blessing Lungaho, building a “brotherly bond” that mirrored their characters’.For Maina, the role transcended a mere “Freaky Friday” situation.
“It told my story and that of most, if not every other woman on the planet,” she says. She recalls advice from Sincerely Daisy director Nick Mutuma: “It takes a strong female lead to shape the minds of a generation.”
It’s a mantle she gladly accepts with Eve.Her sights remain set on horizons paved by her inspirations. “I look at Lupita and Thuso Mbedu and see myself,” she states. “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.”
Off-Screen: Avocados, The Boys, and Hiphopera
After a long day embodying Eve’s chaos, Maina unwinds with a specific comfort snack: “An avocado sandwich with runny eggs and chilli oil.”
Her guilty pleasure? The hyper-violent universes of The Boys and Invincible. And on her Spotify? The unlikely fusion of “Hiphopera” and the Mkurugenzi Podcast.
So, what’s the final takeaway for women watching Eve’s journey?“I hope you feel accurately represented by Eve’s struggle, seen and heard and validated,” Maina says. “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!”Watch Ellah Maina’s powerful, funny, and groundbreaking performance in Adam to Eve, streaming now only on Showmax.
