From Missed Auditions to Stardom: Jack Mutinda on His ‘Mizani’ Breakthrough

From missed auditions to commanding the screen, Jack Mutinda is proving that resilience can shape destiny.

Now starring as the intense and unpredictable Solo in Mizani on Maisha Magic Plus, the actor and stuntman is stepping into what he calls his biggest role yet—one that blends grit, physicality and raw emotion into a performance that’s impossible to ignore.

He walks into the room like a force of nature. Jack Mutinda—known by his fans as Hulk Shira—is the kind of man you want protecting your back and never, ever crossing your path.

Jack is best known for his Kalasha award-winning role in the short film, Itafiki. His other credits include Real Househelps of Kawangware, Sayari and It’s a Free Country.

The acclaimed actor, stuntman and scriptwriter is currently burning up the screen as the brooding, dangerous Solo in Maisha Magic Plus’s crime drama, Mizani. Mizani follows a journalist whose daughter is kidnapped by an organ trafficking ring in the coastal city. On the show, Solo is a former Special Forces officer who now serves as Kate Mumba’s (Stephnie Maseki) personal bodyguard and enforcer. This role recently scored Jack a Best Supporting Actor in a TV drama nom at the upcoming 2026 Kalasha Awards.

In this exclusive, Jack opens about almost losing his Mizani role, going all out on stunts, life beyond the screen, and why he loves watching himself on screen.

From Missed Auditions to Stardom: Jack Mutinda on His ‘Mizani’ Breakthrough

What was your reaction when you got the call that you had gotten this role?

Honestly? It was unbelievable. The writers actually had me in mind from the start because they had seen my work in Itafiki. They were like, “This is our Solo—this character is literally him!” But the road to getting there was a total rollercoaster. I missed the first auditions in Mombasa, then missed the callbacks in Nairobi. I thought I had blown it. Then, out of the blue, Anguka calls me and asks, “Are you still interested?” I did an online audition, and a week later, the production manager told me the role was mine. It didn’t even sink in until I was on that bus to Mombasa for a two-month shoot. And get this—I missed the SGR train. I had to scramble onto a bus, but I made it. It was the greatest experience of my life.

Why was working with Daudi Anguka so high on your bucket list?

It was a no-brainer. I do subtitles for streaming sites, and I worked on his film Mvera. It moved me. The man is incredibly talented and tackles topics that matter. From Pete to Mkasi, he has that “X-Factor.” I knew I wanted to be part of his world, so when that call came, I didn’t have to think twice.

People see the actor, but you’re also a stuntman. How does that “tough guy” lifestyle bleed into your career?

Working out isn’t just a hobby for me; it’s my first love. It is a lifestyle. To do stunts, you must be fit and fearless. I have been doing karate since way back in the day. My first stunt project was in 2018 for a movie by Gregory Kiwo. One of my biggest highlights was working on Sense8, where I met fellow stunt performer Lwanda Jawar.

Is there room for growth in the stunt department?

The stunt industry in Kenya is growing, but it’s still untapped.

Today, there are so many stuntmen now who have come up. We have the guys who have been doing it for the longest such as veteran stunt coordinator Charles Kembero, who I would love to work with you one day. There are also the guys now whom I have worked with, including Mickey Stunts and Emmanuel Mugo in Itafiki.

We now need more women joining this department. We need ladies who can fight, do parkour, ride bikes… there’s so much potential.

We have seen the action in Mizani. Tell us about the stunts in the show.

My fellow co-star Michael Saruni and I choreographed a scene together, and the energy was insane. When you are acting with someone who says, “Let’s go all out—even if the blow lands, just keep going,” it pumps you up. That “oomph” made the scene feel real. You guys must check it out.

From Missed Auditions to Stardom: Jack Mutinda on His ‘Mizani’ Breakthrough

Your chemistry with Anita Wawuda on the show is electric. How did you two build that bond?

We just blended off from day one. It felt like we had known each other forever, which made the hard days easy. We would go from filming these intense love scenes one day to pointing guns at each other’s heads the next. Because Anita gives it her all, it just felt effortless.

Some actors hate watching themselves. Are you a fan of your own work?

I love watching myself. Is that weird? I don’t care! I love to see what I’ve done so I can criticize it. I will sit there and say, “Ah, I should have done that better.” I am my own biggest critic, but I also love to admire the hard work that went into a project.

If I don’t find you at the gym, where else will I find you?

You’ll either find me eating or you will find me working on my car. Yeah. I’m also a YouTuber. A Jack of all trades.

You mentioned working on a car. Which car are you currently working on?

I’m a fanatic of restoration. Right now, I am tearing apart a 1988 Toyota Corolla E90. I am swapping everything—engine, suspension, interior—to make it look like a 2020s beast. But if you want to know about my dream ride? It’s the Range Rover Sport HSE, the 2008 to 2012 model.

What was the absolute peak of the Mizani experience for you?

Five weeks in Diani on a fully paid-expenses holiday. I literally became a beach boy. It was awesome.

If your character, Solo, had a dating bio, what would it say?

“A kill hit. Whether the one you meet, you’ll hit or you’ll kill.” That’s Solo in a nutshell.

Pick your poison: Mombasa heat or Nairobi traffic?

I will take the heat any day. I can’t deal with traffic!