Aïssata Athie, her legal name, rose to fame thanks to her memorable role in the hit Marodi TV series. From her beginnings in the English club to the film sets, L'Observateur paints a portrait of a rising star of Senegalese cinema. Excerpts.

1. Born in Ben Tally  

Twenty-two-year-old Aïssata Athie (commonly known as Aïcha) was born and raised in the working-class neighborhood of Ben Tally in Dakar. From a large Hal Pulaar family, she received what she describes as a conservative upbringing. She still lives with her parents.

2. From figures to film sets

She never saw herself as an actress: "Cinema wasn't part of my childhood dreams." She discovered the joy of acting almost by accident in high school, when she joined the English club. It was there that she discovered theater and stage presence. After graduating from high school, she pursued higher education in Accounting and Finance. She completed her second year of undergraduate studies before putting her academic path on hold to seize her opportunity in the arts.

3. On-the-job training

Aïcha learned her craft on the job. She went to countless auditions, appeared in commercials, and did extra work under the guidance of a mentor named Ben. She cut her teeth in a Pulaar-language production with Marodi before being cast in the role of Ndakhté. Inspired by figures like Amélie Mbaye and Sanekh, she doesn't intend to stop there. Her long-term goal is clear: to bring Senegalese cinema to the international stage within ten years.

4. A controversial figure

While she brilliantly portrays a woman willing to do anything for love, the actress insists she is very different from her character. Naturally shy and introverted, she admits to having cried during the filming of certain seduction scenes (particularly the one in the red negligee) which forced her to abruptly step out of her comfort zone. "We had to reshoot it at least five times."

5. "The public was very mean to me."

The realism of her performance earned her a wave of hostility. Because her character, Ndakhté, is often perceived as "the obstacle" to the Marie-Momo couple, Aïcha has been subjected to insults and virulent criticism on social media. The actress prefers to put things in perspective: for her, it's proof that she succeeded in her portrayal.