4 times Joyce Maina was robbed of her dreams

Going by onscreen innocence alone, there hasn’t been a more quintessential girl next door on Kenyan TV than Joyce Maina, especially in recent years. However, it would seem that she’s breaking out of that comfort zone (or rather, she is defying the stereotype) if her most recent roles are anything to go by.

We’ve known her from her first TV role as Tindi in Sumu la Penzi, a naïve country girl who is forced to adjust to the fast-paced, deceptive life led by her three friends. It was an unforgettable TV moment to watch her innocence slowly fade away along with her dreams as she made one bad decision after another.

But that’s not the only time one of Joyce’s characters was robbed of her dreams …

1. Aisha

In Aisha, Joyce plays the titular role of Aisha, a high school graduate whose hopes of joining college and pursuing her dreams to study literature are cut short when her domineering father who intends for Aisha to get married as soon as possible so he can score a quick business deal. It gets worse, despite her best efforts; Aisha ends up being a rape victim and seeks the quickest and the most brutal way out of her predicament.

A Kalasha Award 2017 nominee for Best Feature, Aisha is available to stream on Showmax. Watch now »

2. Wrath

Wrath tells the story of two star-crossed lovers from two different backgrounds; with Joyce as the poor high school girl (Julia) who falls in love with the popular rich kid Frank (Pascal Tokodi). Before she meets Frank, Julia’s only ambition is to do well in school and give her mother the life she deserves. An unforeseen tragedy strikes when she falls for Frank, cutting short all her dreams.

Directed by How to Find a Husband’s creator Erica Anyadike, Wrath S1-2 is available to stream on Showmax. Watch now »

3. Stolen Dreams

Joyce Maina and Helena Waithera (Jane and Abel) star in this Africa Magic Original Film as two best friends struggling to make ends meet while jumping from one job to the next. One day, they are selling scratch and win tickets in the street; the next day they are pulling an all-nighter writing sample script to score a film gig. Well, the latter pays off but only for Tande (Maina) who submits Zahara’s (Waithera) script as hers. But karma knows no ambition, and it has a way of snatching people’s dreams especially if they were stolen in the first place.

Stolen Dreams is available to stream on Showmax. Watch now »

4. Neophobia

While it might look like Joyce Maina and her dreams can’t seem to catch a break in most of her previous roles, we see her getting what her heart truly desires in 2017’s short Neophobia, where she plays Fiona Bosibori, a regimented woman who is scared to try out new things. Neophobia, even though going against what Fiona is used to, opens up her to a whole new fairytale world where her therapist is actually the man of her dreams.

Created and directed by Mark Maina, Neophobia is now streaming on Showmax. Watch now »

Can’t get enough of Joyce Maina? Also catch Joyce in Auntie Boss, Double Trouble and Project Revenge, also available to stream on Showmax. Watch now »