Helen Keli is having the time of her life playing characters she never imagined she would. The veteran Nairobi-born actress, who trained under the late James Falkland, is currently juggling two wildly different roles on television that have audiences talking.

On Single Kiasi Season 4, Keli plays Delilah, a bold older woman determined to start a family with her much younger lover Ritchie, played by Kevin Maina. Over on Lazizi, she transforms into Bridget, the bitter wife of Mwaniki Mageria’s character Mark, a woman ready to unleash years of stored resentment. The contrast between the two characters showcases the range that has made Keli one of Kenya’s most respected stage and screen actors.

“Delilah is the most not-me character I have ever played,” Keli admits. “Stepping into her world was both terrifying and thrilling. She makes no apologies for who she is, bold, confident and completely in control and I absolutely love that about her.” Getting there took work, she says, crediting producers Grace Kahaki and Philippe Bresson for their support. “As an actor, you are always creating personalities, building people from the ground up, but Delilah? She’s from a completely different universe.”

The feedback has been entertaining, to say the least. “Oh my gosh, the feedback has been hilarious. Honestly, no one in my family has had the courage to say a word about Delilah. Not a single comment. I think they’re all still processing.”

Working with Kevin Maina, her younger lover on single kiasi, brought familiar chemistry built on trust and honesty. “When two actors trust each other, that’s when the magic truly happens,” she explains. But partnering with Mwaniki Mageria on Lazizi offered something different. “Mwaniki brings such maturity and a calm presence to his role as Mark, and that energy really helped me step deeper into my own role as Bridget. Our dynamic on screen is completely different from what Kevin and I had, different motivations, different chemistry, but equally rich and layered.”

As for Bridget, Keli thinks viewers will appreciate her elegance, intelligence and strategic mind. “She’s a chess player, so I think a lot of, especially a lot of women will be able to resonate, and even some men who have been in the situations will be able to resonate with some of the things that Bridget does.” What they might hate about her? “I’m really looking forward to how they feel about her if she doesn’t play fair.”

Earlier this year, Keli took on perhaps her biggest challenge yet with Elements, a one woman show at the theatre written by John Sibi Okumu and directed by Wakio Mzenge. “Standing alone on that stage, in front of a live audience, knowing it was all on me to hold their attention, draw them in, and unpack the layers of this complex woman, it pushed me in ways I hadn’t imagined.”

The experience reinforced her first love for theatre, though she’s learned to appreciate television’s different demands. “Theatre is raw, it’s immediate, it’s alive. There’s no hiding, no second take. You are right there, feeding off the audience’s energy, living every moment as it happens.” Television, she notes, requires restraint. “You can’t rely on big gestures or exaggerated emotions. The camera catches everything, even the tiniest flicker of thought or feeling. So you have to pull back, trust the stillness, and let the subtle moments do the work.”

Her creative influences read like a masterclass in acting: Viola Davis, Maggie Smith, Meryl Streep, and Helen Mirren. “These women are the very definition of range, discipline and dedication. Their ability to disappear into every role they take on, that’s the kind of artistry I aspire to.” What she admires most is the discipline behind every performance. “You can feel the years of hard work behind every performance, the respect they have for their characters and their audiences. That, to me, is what being a true actor is all about.”

For young actors starting out today, her advice is straightforward. “It doesn’t happen by magic. You must put in the work. You might have a talent, God-given talent, but if you bury it, it doesn’t grow. So hone your craft, work at it, do the classes, and never take a day off if it’s about learning to do it better.”

On her rare days off, Keli keeps it simple. She enjoys spending time in the quiet outdoors and cooking for family and friends. “If it’s roasted, it’s my best. Roast vegetables, roast potatoes, roast chicken, roast steak. Love it.”

As for what she won’t do for a role? “Nudity, like complete, stark nudity, I wouldn’t, I’d like to think I wouldn’t do.” Then she pauses and laughs. “I think when I played Delilah, I did things I said I would never do.”

With a career spanning stage productions from Pirates of Penzance to The Merchant of Venice, and TV shows including Changes, Selina and Second Family, plus an upcoming role in the Kenyan-German film Mercy, Helen Keli shows no signs of slowing down. She’s still pushing boundaries, still surprising audiences and apparently, still leaving her family speechless.