Biography

Melissa Kiplagat, is an internationally trained professional actress working primarily in Kenya and most known for her lead role, Akisa, in the first Netflix licensed show in East Africa, Country Queen.

After graduating with an Economics degree from the Ivy-League, Brown University in 2013, she returned to Kenya to pursue a professional career in the arts and has since performed in over 17 plays both in Nairobi and London, including Apples From The Desert, Butterflies Are Free, The Penelopiad and The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, 10 TV shows (leading in 5 including Country Queen, Ngazi, This Is Life, and News Just In).

In late 2016 Melissa joined the renowned Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London (UK) and in 2017 graduated with a Masters in Performance (Acting). She credits the experience for transforming and elevating her performance skills and opening her eyes to the holistic approach the profession demands.

When not on set, Melissa organizes acting and film masterclasses under her Melissa Kiplagat Masterclasses (MKM) venture, in an effort to pass on the training she received during her masters and cultivate a culture of collaboration and support in the industry. She has facilitated over 15 masterclasses to date and has developed online courses and in-person acting programs for Kenyan learning institutions.

Always open to a layered and juicy character and story, Melissa is setting her sight beyond her country and continent for her next challenge, while never forgetting that there really is no place like home.
- IMDb mini biography by: Melissa Kiplagat