Charles Gitonga Maina (born 1976) is a 6'10" Kenyan-born former actor
and basketball player best known for his co-starring role in the 1994
film The Air Up There.Charles Gitonga Maina was born in the Buruburu
neighborhood of Nairobi, Kenya. His father was an auditor with a
telecommunications firm and his mother was a nurse. Maina is the third
of four children, and belongs to the Kikuyu ethnic group. At the age
of 14, he learned to play basketball playing barefoot with friends on
a dirt court. In 1991, Maina won the 1991 Nairobi Slam Dunk
Championship. Although he originally wanted to study computers and
business at the University of Nairobi, Maina decided to pursue
basketball instead.At the age of 17, Maina heard of auditions for the
film The Air Up There. The film from Hollywood Pictures would feature
a tall African basketball player as a prospect under the wing of an
American coach, which would be played by Kevin Bacon. Maina auditioned
for the lead role, describing himself as a "dunkaholic". According to
director Paul Michael Glaser, this was part of what landed him the
role. Maina and a friend were chosen among 46 other players, and flown
to Los Angeles for a final audition. According to Maina, this was the
first time he'd left Kenya. In the end, he was chosen for the lead
role of Saleh, a member of the fictional Winabi tribe in Kenya (which
were loosely based on the Samburu people) which is sought out by
Bacon's character to play in the US.Most of the filming took place in
Kenya and South Africa, with local cast and crew members. Former UCLA
player and co-star Nigel Miguel said of Maina "He was just a sweet
kid, and that's what was needed for this character". Former NBA MVP
Bob McAdoo, who served as the film's technical advisor, saw potential
for Maina to play college basketball in the US, saying "just seeing
his enthusiasm and his size, I knew there was something there".
Although the film received negative reviews, critics referred to
Maina's performance as "warmly appealing".
and basketball player best known for his co-starring role in the 1994
film The Air Up There.Charles Gitonga Maina was born in the Buruburu
neighborhood of Nairobi, Kenya. His father was an auditor with a
telecommunications firm and his mother was a nurse. Maina is the third
of four children, and belongs to the Kikuyu ethnic group. At the age
of 14, he learned to play basketball playing barefoot with friends on
a dirt court. In 1991, Maina won the 1991 Nairobi Slam Dunk
Championship. Although he originally wanted to study computers and
business at the University of Nairobi, Maina decided to pursue
basketball instead.At the age of 17, Maina heard of auditions for the
film The Air Up There. The film from Hollywood Pictures would feature
a tall African basketball player as a prospect under the wing of an
American coach, which would be played by Kevin Bacon. Maina auditioned
for the lead role, describing himself as a "dunkaholic". According to
director Paul Michael Glaser, this was part of what landed him the
role. Maina and a friend were chosen among 46 other players, and flown
to Los Angeles for a final audition. According to Maina, this was the
first time he'd left Kenya. In the end, he was chosen for the lead
role of Saleh, a member of the fictional Winabi tribe in Kenya (which
were loosely based on the Samburu people) which is sought out by
Bacon's character to play in the US.Most of the filming took place in
Kenya and South Africa, with local cast and crew members. Former UCLA
player and co-star Nigel Miguel said of Maina "He was just a sweet
kid, and that's what was needed for this character". Former NBA MVP
Bob McAdoo, who served as the film's technical advisor, saw potential
for Maina to play college basketball in the US, saying "just seeing
his enthusiasm and his size, I knew there was something there".
Although the film received negative reviews, critics referred to
Maina's performance as "warmly appealing".
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