By Jennifer Ochieng
Published July 6, 2023
Faithless, a 10-part crime drama series that explores how even the best of us can be corrupted by power and greed to use religion as a shield for sin, is now streaming on Showmax.
Rosemary Waweru (Tabasamu) makes a major on-screen comeback as Esther, a struggling waitress with a leering boss (played by Bilal Wanjau, Jela 5 Star), and a troublesome brother (played by Brian Ngaira, Pepeta), whose mistakes turn her life upside down.
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“I was on a hiatus of about three years because I was taking care of my children, and now I am back and I’m here to stay,” says Rosemary Waweru. “If you’ve been following the news, Faithless is a story that couldn’t have come at a more perfect time, and people are going to relate to it.”
Beatrice Mwai (Paa) plays Ruth, the pastor’s wife, a quintessential Christian woman who resorts to prayer as a solution to everything, until her staunch beliefs are shaken by an unexpected turn of events.
“My character is the mother hen of this clique because I’m the eldest and so I’m always the one guiding them and counseling them whenever they have issues,” Beatrice says of Ruth. “Initially I thought I was going to be this nice woman throughout the show but then the amazing directors dismantled that image. Money changes everything, and I become someone totally different when you watch episode one versus the rest of the episodes.”
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Off the back of her comeback role in Pepeta, Nyambura Mwangi, popularly known as Avril, plays Deborah, a woman with a voice that can move any crowd, and a reckless spending habit.
“This role was different in a very good way because I got paired with the most amazing ladies as co-stars; we’ve actually become friends,” says Avril Mwangi. “For Deborah, they needed an actor who could sing, and I fit into that description but then again, there was so much more about my character that I had to unbox, and that just took a lot of work from me.”
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Fatma Mohammed (Kina) is Hope, an outsider with a lot of baggage, who joined the church to find a sense of belonging.
“Currently, there are so many things that people are watching on TV, and it’s easy for viewers to watch something and pop on to the next. Faithless won’t be that kind of show; you’ll keep watching it because of the performances. This is one project where every single person just fits their role perfectly,” she says.
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Faithless also features Arabron Nyyneque (Second Family) as Pastor Musa, Aleks Kamau (Volume) as the dangerous crime boss Cain, Peter Kamau (Selina) as Detective Dan, Mark Masai in his debut acting role as the straightjacket Detective Henry, Abubakar Mwenda (Subira) as Cain’s ruthless henchman Udi, Morris Mwangi (Famous) as Cain’s son Jonah, with Justin Miriichi (Shimoni), Joe Kinyua (Sune na Jonnie), Azziad Nasenya (Selina), Raymond Ofula (Monica), Ashley Kazeez (Single Kiasi), Jackie Nyaminde (Papa Shirandula), Tonny Njuguna (Makutano Junction), Sanches Ombasa (Chaguo), Antony Kyule Njuguna (Sue na Jonnie), and Zawadi Kayyoh (Pieces of Us) also starring.
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Produced by Live Eye TV, Faithless is helmed by Abdi Shuria and King Muriuki (who both also directed the Showmax thriller Igiza), and Janet Chumbe (Sanura).
Faithless is now streaming on Showmax with new episodes releasing every Thursday.
