Sarah Hassan.
Renowned actress and film producer Sarah Hassan appears to have cracked the code for navigating Kenya’s volatile entertainment industry, enduring constant public scrutiny, and the challenges that come with living in the limelight.
Her calm demeanour, disarming smile, and warm personality have helped her build a super brand, earning through partnerships that align with her values and personal image.
Her face is her business, and she guards it with intention and intelligence.
Actress, producer and former TV host Sarah Hassan.
She describes her childhood as active; she was always in plays, sports, maths clubs, and science contests. “Let’s just say I was an active kid.” After high school, she joined Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and studied actuarial science. During this period, she continued acting and hosted numerous TV shows, working with talented artistes locally and across East Africa.
“I wanted to do maths because that is what I was good at, and acting because that is what I loved. I was blessed to get a chance to do both.”
Actuarial science and film, quite a combo, huh?
(Laughs) From when I was young, in school, and was able to understand film and TV, I always wanted to go to Film school, specifically New York Film Academy in Los Angeles, to learn and understand more, but some dreams take longer to accomplish.
What would you say has been your greatest strength in acting?
Has to be research. I put a lot of effort into research before going on set. People use different techniques to prepare for a set, but I don’t think there is any that beats research. It’s the number one technique, in my opinion.
Alfred Munyua and Sarah Hassan who play detectives Silas and Makena in the Kenyan detective series "Crime and Justice".
You’ve stayed fresh, glowing decades into the industry. What’s the secret?
Well, let’s just say I’m all about good vibes, drinking lots of water, finding time to exercise, eating well, and just being kind to yourself. But above all, I am very good at minding my business.
Do you harbour any regrets?
I wouldn’t use the word ‘regret’. There is nothing that I regret about this life because you learn from your mistakes. If you didn’t go through whatever you went through, then you wouldn’t be where you are. You wouldn’t have learnt the life lessons that you did. You wouldn’t have been better.
Do you ever care about what the social media naysayers have to say?
When I was starting in the industry, I encountered quite a lot of that. But with time, you grow a bit of a thick skin, and you begin to understand that these are people who don’t even know you. So, why would you allow someone who doesn’t know you to affect your peace?
I always advocate for kindness, and it costs nothing to be kind. We need to be kind to each other, whether you know someone or not. Just be kind to them. Just because you see someone happy on social media doesn’t mean they are. You will never know what someone is going through. People never post their bad days or failures on social media; it’s always their best days, even when they are going through something behind the scenes. Sometimes people assume too much.
Actress Sarah Hassan has endorsed Commonwealth’s anti-gender-based violence (GBV) campaign.
What is your greatest inspiration in life?
There are a lot of things, but one thing I would be very happy about is to be remembered as one of the people who helped grow the Kenyan film industry.
You have a huge following on social media platforms, over two million followers collectively. What are some of your observations about social media?
Social media is a beautiful platform where you build a community, but it has its own pressure, and sometimes handling that pressure can be tricky. For me, I believe in staying grounded. But I also believe that everybody has a right to do whatever they want as long as it makes them happy.
I also think it’s good to always get off social media once in a while and stay away from it to just reconnect with yourself and the real world.
Guess who walked away with the 2025 Forbes Woman Africa Entertainer of the Year Award...What did that moment mean to you?
It honestly felt surreal. To be recognised in a space filled with such powerful, trailblazing women was deeply humbling. When I started as an actress and TV host, and later stepped into film production, all I really had was hope and passion. There are still so many barriers to break, but we keep pushing. My message to the young women out there would be to keep creating. Never stop believing in the power of your own stories. I hope that more women continue to take up space in the entertainment industry and truly own it.
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