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Charlie Karumi

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Charlie Karumi
'Charlie' (photo by Antony Trivet)
Born
Charles Karumi Maina

(1991-08-17) 17 August 1991 (age 33)
Nairobi, Kenya
EducationStrathmore university
Occupation(s)Actor, TV presenter
AwardsKashala awards
Websitecharliekarumi.com

Charles Karumi Maina (born 17 August 1991), known professionally as Charlie Karumi, is a Kenyan actor and Radio (NRG Radio)/TV presenter.[1] He has appeared in several plays, television series and films. He is best known for his role as Tony on Kenyan drama Jane and Abel and for hosting entertainment magazine show Arena 254 on K24.

Charlie was born on 17 August 1991 in Nairobi, Kenya and grew up in Uthiru. He attended Alliance high school where his love for stage was born through the school drama club.

He later joined Strathmore university for a degree in Business Information Technology and ended up kick starting his acting career. He landed his first acting role in the Kenyan TV series;Changes.

He has since featured in more films including; Lies that bind, Nairobi Half Life, Rush and Noose of Gold.

In 2015, he won the Kalasha awards for the best supporting actor for the comedy, 'Fundi-mentals'.

Early life

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Karumi was born on 17 August 1991 in Nairobi[2] and grew up in the neighborhood of Uthiru on the outskirts of the city. He began his education at Genesis Primary School in Uthiru, later transferring to Visa Oshwal Primary in Westlands and finally White Cottage Primary in Gachie where he sat his Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams in 2005. He then proceeded to Alliance High School in Kikuyu for his secondary education sitting for his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams in 2008. It was while at Alliance High that he discovered his love for the stage, joining the school's drama club 'The Dramatics Society' and landing roles in 2 of the club's national award-winning plays.

In 2009, he joined Strathmore University, Nairobi, and pursued a bachelor's degree in Business Information Technology (BBIT) graduating in April 2013.

Career

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Karumi's professional career kicked off while in University at Strathmore. He got his first paying role on Kenyan TV series Changes.

In 2009, he joined renown Kenyan repertoire theater Phoenix Players where he trained and starred in several of the group's plays. With that training, he began his career in earnest booking roles on several Kenyan television and film productions such as Higher Learning, Lies That Bind, Nairobi Half Life, Noose of Gold and Rush.

In 2014, he starred alongside Mumbi Maina, Brian Ogola, Lizz Njagah and Sarah Hassan on Maisha Magic East Drama Jane and Abel.

In 2015, he starred alongside Gerald Langiri on comedy Fundi-Mentals, a role that saw him clinch the 2015 Kalasha Award for Best Supporting Actor.[3][4]

In 2015, Karumi ventured into TV hosting, taking part in the KTN The Presenter Season 2 talent search finishing in the final 10.[5] A year later, he successfully auditioned for and took part in TLC's Africa wide talent search, TLC's Next Great Presenter.[6][7] He emerged 2nd Runners Up after a successful campaign that saw him reach the final stage of the competition.[8][9]

In 2017, he hosted entertainment magazine show Arena 254 on K24 before booking a role in South Africa in upcoming Danish Broadcasting Corporation TV Series Liberty, a screen adaptation of Jakob Ejersbo's book by the same name.[10]

in 2021, Charlie started working at Homeboyz Radio on the breakfast show with G money as his co-host after quitting NRG Radio.[11][12]

Vlogging

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Charlie is also a regular vlogger, sharing his vlog series titled Charlie's Day Out.

Filmography

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Films

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Year Film Role Production Company
2011 Issah Arnoldo Mo Amin Foundation
2012 Nairobi Half Life Phoenix Casting Director One Fine Day Films
2013 Burnt Forest Kibet ZippyFilms
2015 The Friend Troy Kibanda Pictures
2015 Birthday Wish Drake Zamaradi Films
2015 Fundi-Mentals Moses Historia Films
2015 Just An Outside Shot Sam Simple Bulldog Studios
2015 #18 Pleasure Street Greg Spielworks Media
2016 Afya Centre Gerald
2017 Watu Wote Issa Ossman Hamburg Media School
2018 Rafiki Waireri
2019 Lusala Photographer
2020 Morning After Joe

TV Series

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Year Show Role Production Company
2009 Changes: Season 1 Chuma Zebra Productions
2010 Noose of Gold Tommy Maxpot Media
2011 Higher Learning Joe Spielworks Media
2011 Lies that Bind Mark
2013 Jane & Abel Tony
2015 Rush Bill C-Through Production Ltd
2016 News Just In Otieno Historia Films
2017 Janjaruka Johnnie Flick 7 Pictures
2018 Liberty Marcus Danish Broadcasting Corporation
2022 Country Queen Musyoka
2023 Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Dr. Udekwu Legendary Television, Toho Co., Ltd
2024 So Help Me God Jury Foreperson

Awards

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Year Nominated Work Role Award Result Ref
2015 Fundi-Mentals Moses Best Supporting Actor Won [4]

References

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  1. ^ "One-on-one with presenter Charlie Karumi". MediaMax Network.
  2. ^ "Charlie Karumi's Bio". Charlie Karumi. 22 May 2017. Archived from the original on 14 May 2018. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  3. ^ Film, Kenya. "Nominees & Winners - Kenya Film Commission". www.kenyafilmcommission.com. Archived from the original on 25 July 2017. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Kenya: 2015 Kalasha Awards: Winners (Full List)". Capital FM (Nairobi). 4 November 2015. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  5. ^ Digital, The Standard. "Slideshow - The Presenter: The lucky 21". Standard Digital News. Archived from the original on 14 May 2018. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  6. ^ "Meet Lucky 13er Charlie Karumi". www.dstv.com. Retrieved 26 July 2017.[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ Mosongo, Josephine (19 September 2016). "Kenyan Actor Finalist at TLC's 'Next Great Presenter'". The Nation (Nairobi). Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  8. ^ "TLC's Next Great Presenter". TLC's Next Great Presenter. Archived from the original on 22 October 2017. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  9. ^ "TLC Next Great Presenter Top 3". www.dstv.com. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  10. ^ "Skuespillerne til ny DR-dramaserie er på plads". DR (in Danish). Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  11. ^ Milimo, Dennis (19 October 2021). "Charlie Karumi lands new Radio Job months after quitting NRG Radio". Pulselive Kenya. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  12. ^ pm, Brian Kimani on 19 October 2021-3:27. "Homeboyz Radio Unveils G-Money's New Co-Host". Kenyans.co.ke. Retrieved 18 November 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)