Blessing Lungaho has spent years proving his range as one of Kenya’s most magnetic TV stars. From heartthrob roles in Maria to commanding performances in Igiza, the three time Kalasha nominee has consistently expanded his capabilities.

But his latest role in Showmax’s gender swap dramedy Adam to Eve pushes him further than he’s ever gone before.

The 37 year old actor plays not one, not two, but three characters in the bold new series, including a Nairobi playboy cursed to live life as a woman. The transformation required gaining 13 kilos, stepping into stilettos and confronting his own understanding of masculinity and women’s experiences.

“When I read the script my first real reaction was pure fear,” Lungaho admits. “I wasn’t just playing three different characters, but I was giving five completely unique performances. I genuinely didn’t know if I had that kind of range. I was insecure, terrified even.”

The actor auditioned alongside more than 400 people for the role. When producers selected him, they made the challenge clear from the start. The first two days on set felt overwhelming. “I felt like I was drowning. Then, somehow, everything clicked. I found my groove. But trust me, getting there was rough.”

To prepare, Lungaho went full method. He binged Orphan Black, studying how Tatiana Maslany played over 17 clones. He needed that kind of inspiration because he was stepping into multiple personas himself. The physical transformation was equally demanding. To convincingly play a pregnant woman in the show, he added about 13 kilos by taking straight shots of olive oil. Once shooting wrapped, he had to lose it all again.

The role also shifted his perspective on women’s experiences. “This performance didn’t just change how I see women, it changed how I see everything,” he reflects. “I realized very quickly that the way I move through the world is completely different from how a woman experiences it. Even something as simple as saying ‘I’m okay’ doesn’t mean the same thing.”

His character Adam represents a particular type of Nairobi man, one marked by detachment. “Adam isn’t a bad boy. He’s not out here trying to hurt anyone. He’s just living life the only way he knows how,” Lungaho explains. “He has never taken the time to figure out who he really is or what he stands for. He has no sense of self, no internal anchor. So how can he give anyone else what he doesn’t have? He doesn’t love himself, so naturally, he has no love to offer anyone else.”

The message Lungaho hopes viewers take away is straightforward. “Adam’s entire journey is about finding himself. He learns through the hard way that everything starts with him. You can’t love anyone if you don’t love yourself. You can’t show up for someone else if you can’t even show up for you.”

Lungaho’s journey to this transformative role began far from the screen. He studied accounting before acting, performing on stage since age five but believing he needed a “real job.” Eventually he dropped everything else to chase what he was truly meant to do. “I only studied accounting because I thought I needed a real job. I had no idea acting could ever become an actual career for me.”

Growing up, he looked up to Raymond Ofula and Ken Ambani. “I still call Ken ‘Baraza’ because of his name in Tausi. Every time I met him in Nairobi, I would fan out,” he recalls with a laugh.

His own fan encounters have been equally memorable. During his time on Maria, a petrol station attendant offered to pay for his fuel. When Lungaho protested, the man explained that the show had become the one thing he and his wife could discuss without arguing. “That hit differently. That was the moment I realized the impact we have on people’s lives.”

Fame itself remains something Lungaho navigates carefully. At a recent ruracio in Kajiado, guests kept staring and whispering. Someone asked if he was an MP. “The truth is there’s no manual for this thing. Fame is fickle. Nobody prepares you for it,” he says. His mantra remains simple: stay humble. “I have seen people who were massive stars when I was growing up and today, no one even recognizes them. That keeps me grounded. I know there will be a day when I’m no longer famous.”

Recently, there has been renewed public interest in his personal life. Lungaho handles it by maintaining clear boundaries. “Suddenly everyone has an opinion about who I am and I hear the wildest, most amazing things about myself. But here’s the truth: I am not what I do. At the end of the day, I’m just my mother’s son. Acting is something I do but it’s not the core of who I am.”

With Adam to Eve now streaming, Lungaho continues proving that the best performances come from stepping outside your comfort zone. The show challenges viewers to think about identity, masculinity and the different ways men and women move through the world.

For Lungaho, it represents his most ambitious work yet, a role that demanded everything he had and taught him things he didn’t know he needed to learn.