Dorea Chege, whose real name is Beatrice Dorea Chege, is a celebrated Kenyan actress, commercial model, entrepreneur, and marketer.
Over the years, she has become a household name, known for her roles in popular TV series and her thriving beauty business.
In this article, we dive into her life, career, and the challenges she's overcome to reach where she is today.
Dorea Chege's early life& education
Dorea Chege was born and raised in Membley, Nairobi. She grew up in a religious family, with both of her parents serving as pastors.
Her father is a pastor, and her mother serves as an interpreter in their church. Dorea, being the firstborn in a family of three, recalls the strong influence of her family’s faith.
Her elder sister is the leader of the praise and worship team, and Dorea herself was once a member of the choir.
She attended Kahawa Baptist Academy for her primary education before joining Limuru Girls for her secondary schooling. Dorea then pursued her passion for media and studied Journalism and Mass Communication.
Dorea’s career journey began with an internship at KBC, where she volunteered for a year after her internship period.
Dorea Chege on growing up as a pastor's daughter
Dorea often speaks candidly about the pressures she faced growing up as a pastor’s child. She recalls that while she initially wanted to be a singer due to her involvement in the church choir, acting was far from her mind.
However, as she grew older, the expectations placed on her began to weigh heavily.
"Pressure was there. I have a tatoo and people say a pastors child should not have such. Like you should be the role model. When there's a kesha you should be there. You can't dress in a certain way. You can't be on your phone when your dad was preaching. I was compete opposite of this," she said.
This pressure led to disagreements with her father, particularly when she got a tattoo and a tongue ring. Her mother also disapproved of her tattoo, but over time, Dorea realised she had to find her own path.
"We had a disagreement with my dad until I had to leave home. My mum did not want me to have a tattoo. I even had a tongue ring and I had to remove it. It gets to an age you want to try everything... Every time I dressed up I was like this is not me," she said in a past interview.
Dorea Chege's acting career
Dorea Chege’s acting career began when a friend informed her of an audition. Her first acting role was in a show called Uriru wa Wendo (Wonders of Love), which airs on Inooro TV.
This opportunity marked the beginning of her journey in the entertainment industry, and after three years, she received a life-changing call from Rashid Abdalla, who offered her the role of Maggie in 'Maria', a hit show on Citizen TV.
"For Selina, it was just a phone call," Dorea revealed. "I went straight to the set after receiving the call."
Her acting skills have seen her featured in other notable TV series such as 'Pink Ladies', and more recently, she took on a significant role in the drama series 'Neema' on Citizen TV.
Dorea Chege's role on 'Neema' series
In this show, Dorea replaced Beatrice Wambui in the role of Naomi, a character who is secretly jealous of her best friend, Neema.
Naomi's character goes to great lengths to sabotage Neema’s life, including conspiring to have Neema’s secretary run away with her husband, Eddie.
Although some fans initially questioned the decision to replace Beatrice Wambui with Dorea, she has proven herself to be a talented actress capable of taking on challenging roles.
She has fully embraced the character of Naomi and continues to impress viewers with her portrayal.
Challenges in the acting industry
Like many actors, Dorea has faced her share of challenges in the industry. She has spoken about the difficulties of working with co-stars who lack chemistry or experience.
"Sometimes you’re called to a role with people who have no experience. Sometimes you are given challenging roles and you have to do a lot of research to make it work," she explained.
Dorea Chege's entrepreneurial ventures & mansion
Beyond acting, Dorea Chege is also a successful entrepreneur. She is the CEO of Dorea Parlour, a beauty business that has become quite popular.
In addition to creating content on her YouTube channel The Bull's Family, Dorea Chege is also a prominent influencer, having collaborated with various brands and companies.
In 2022, she revealed that she was building a seven-bedroom house for herself in Juja, Nairobi.
By mid-2023, she proudly shared images of her mansion on her Instagram stories, captioning them, "Just a small girl with big dreams. If you can dream it, you can do it."
Dorea Chege's love life
Dorea is currently in a relationship with Mugithi mixmaster, DJ Dickson Ndegwa Nyathore, popularly known as DJ Dibul.
Their relationship has captured the hearts of many, with fans viewing them as a power couple.
Dorea has often expressed her admiration for her partner, stating that he is faithful, trustworthy, and someone she sees herself marrying in the future.
She has also offered advice to women dating men in the entertainment industry, encouraging them to be patient and understanding.