Isabella or “Bella” as she is fondly known, is a very sweet and beautiful girl who hails from Misri. She is a jua-kali mechanic who works at Kina Waters and was recently married to Jabali, Nana Tandala’s nephew.

But who is the lady behind this character? We caught up with her recently and this is what she shared with us.

Please tell us your background; where were you born and where were you raised?

My name is Alyce Wangari and I am a 24-year-old Kenyan actress. The earliest part of my childhood was spent in Kiserian overlooking the Ngong Hills. When I turned 7, my family and I moved to the city, where I’ve lived since. I completed my primary school education at Moi Educational Centre, joined Pangani Girls High School then attended the Multimedia University of Kenya where I studied film production and graduated in 2018.

When or how did you get into acting?

My first role was in a school play in Form Three. I was on stage for three minutes as an engineer from Texas. My next acting role was on campus where I acted in short films. It was then that I allowed myself to dream of becoming an actress.

I started going for auditions, one of which turned into my first role in a feature film. This was a 2018 film called Lusala starring Brian Ogola, Stycie Waweru, Mkamzee Mwatela and Allan Oyugi. I played Joma, Lusala’s sister. My experience on that set really shaped my acting career.

Tell us about your role on Kina.

On Kina, I play Bella Mwakazi. Bella is surrounded by her family, friends and the community that raised her. She has faced different struggles such as losing her father, struggling to support her family, dealing with her troublesome brother, and still chasing after her own dreams.

The most enjoyable thing for me onset is simply being able to make Bella come alive. I really like portraying her – and having lived in her shoes for a year, I feel that I’ve grown to know her and that she has become a part of my life.

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The most challenging thing has been growing with my character. Every day, I strive to become a better actress, to understand her, to understand her relationship with the people around her and to draw a line between me and her. And while doing this, I still have to deal with my own struggles. I appreciate it though, as it is part of growth.

Bella Mwakazi has taught me to appreciate the value of trusting the process. I learn new things from her every day and in so doing, I have made little steps forward. I have come to understand that I am not one to take one huge leap to the mountain peak. I am perfectly fine with covering little chunks at a time until I get to my destination.

Who is your favourite character on set?

My favourite character on set is Auntie Redempta. I always smile when I do a scene with her because of her quirks. I enjoy the way she talks, the way she laughs, her animated movements and her facial expressions.  She is a really unique character that is enjoyable to watch.

Please share five things about yourself that we don’t know

• I studied Korean throughout my time at university, so I speak a bit of the language
• I like traveling, so I read a lot about countries I want to visit and make travel itineraries for the future
• I like photography. I feel it expresses what I can’t say with words
• I really like watching films
• My greatest achievements have been graduating with First honours, playing Joma in Lusala and now, portraying Bella Mwakazi.

Watch Alyce Wangari play Bella Mwakazi on Kina every Monday to Friday at 8 pm only on Maisha Magic Plus on  DStv 163.