CELINE TSHIKA

Céline Tshika is a Congo-born, South Africa-raised actor, comedian and filmmaker based in Cape Town. She fell in love with acting in high school, and— after an Engineering “degree for the parents”— studied Acting for Film at the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles. There, she played the role of ‘International Correspondent’ on a satirical news show called ‘The Mix and Serve,’ taped in front of a live studio audience. She then created and starred in an award-winning comedic web series “Jess Goes West” about being an African in America.

She has continued her social commentary-based comedy here by joining the satirical news show ‘Politically Aweh’, as well as making her own brand of ridiculous satirical sketches “Stank Like a Man” and the acclaimed mockumentary ‘The Wapidemic.’ This year, she starred in her thriller-comedy short film ‘Surprise!’ that was selected and produced by the Queer Writers Incubator mentorship programme, co-starred across UK comedian Asim Chaudry on a sketch for BBC’s Comic Relief, as well as the award-winning satirical short for the Girls in Film RSA x OTV film race #BraveFutures.

She started stand-up in 2021, delivering her quirky awkward-black girl stories at spaces such as The Armchair, The Raptor Room and Raunchy Renditions. In 2023, she began performing consistently, opening for stand-up comics such as Kate Pinchuck and Nik Rabinowitz, and eventually entered the annual Jive Funny Championship where she was one of seven finalists. No longer able to deny being a comedian, she has now answered her true calling: being a confusing disappointment to her immigrant parents. She has no intentions of returning to Engineering, but thank you for asking