Top 10 Kenyan Male Actors

Here we are again with probably one of the hardest lists to compile yet - Top 10 Kenyan Male Actors.

As I always say with such lists, once an actor has made it to the ‘top 10’ he is not better or worse than anyone ranked higher or lower on that list.  By this point it’s not about talent because clearly to be in a 10-only list talent is then beyond consideration and one now delves into the realm of creative dynamism.

Also, as I mentioned before with the Top 10 Kenyan Female Actors list, we may not see some of the older generation greats in this list because it is a contemporary one (that is, actors of our times).  Lastly, we are looking at acting as a general skill and this list will have actors across the divide; later we could compile more specific acting lists e.g. ‘top 10 theatre actors’, ‘top 10 actors on small screen’, ‘top 10 comedy actors’, etc.

In our reviews, we also tend to differentiate actual actors from models - so pretty boys on T.V. are not necessarily also good actors and may be missing from this list :-) … 

Here goes!

10. Blessings Lung’aho

Blessing, in my opinion is Kenya’s most promising talents whose potential is far from seen - a blessing to our screens (okay that was dry).  From doing a number of T.V. commercials to indie roles [i.e. Because Love (2016)] this actor is one we need to see more, cast into roles that can bring his best to us.  He eases into roles naturally and pulls them off with an honesty seldom seen with most actors, even experienced ones.  I feel he needs to focus less on T.V. commercials (unless of course these pay the bills) and instead pump the focus on film especially fiction features and shorts where his skills as an actor can traverse the rubicon to greatness.

Blessing is recently cast in Jennifer Gatero’s new series This Is Life (2018) one which we all look forward to watching - for me, Blessing’s and Melissa Kiplagat’s appearances are a big reason for this.

9. Joe Kinyua

Joe is one of Kenya’s best actors.  He is also one of the few who are actually talented naturally a thing that makes his work much easier on screen.  He is also low-key and few except those in the film fraternity know of him.  I first knew of him when I watched The Fifth Estate (2013) a film about the Wikileaks saga, in which he featured briefly.  

Joe is a prolific actor with a number of feature films, ads and shorts to his names, both local and foreign (i.e. Sue & Jonnie, How to Find A Husband, Relay Point Omega and many more).  I believe that Joe Kinyua is one of the best actors we have, one who needs more international roles or at the very least feature film roles.  

8. Elsaphan Njora

At number 8 we have Elsaphan who is one of my favourites.  He is one of the few actors who can move between film and theatre and the latter can be testified to by the more recent play - Grease - in which he offered a stellar performance.

I hope to one day cast Elsaphan in my own crazy indie work - a realm where I feel we’ll get the best of him as an actor.  He also featured in the One Fine Day Productions film Kati Kati (2016) again where his performance was nothing short of exemplary.  

7. Charles Ouda

No biases here, although we were in the same high school :-)  But on a serious note, Charles is one of the best talents to have emerged from our country.  I remember his work from high school musicals and then much later in his first (if I am not mistaken) role on T.V., Better Days (2004) and Makutano Junction.

Charles, like Elsaphan, capably works both in film and theatre with equal proficiency.  I look forward to one day having him back home to play a feature fiction lead role.

6. Gerald Langiri

At number 6 we have another personal favourite - Gerald Langiri.  I don’t think there’s any acting role that this guy can’t pull off.  I urge all to read more on his creative work.

We have seen him severally especially on small screen and Gerald is in no way one with a small portfolio.  For me however, his best performance was in the Stay series and I definitely look forward to more from this guy.

5. Telley Savalas Otieno

This guy is probably the best listed actor in Kenya.  He’s at number 5 because we honestly haven’t seen anything new from him … I wonder what he’s up to - someone get me his number.  Anyhoo, there’s no role that this guy has pulled off badly; from a series of shorts with Willie Owusu in the mid-late 2000s (i.e. Flight Path) to international roles [i.e. The Marshall of Finland (2012)].

As is always the case, Telley has proved not to be a monolithic actor and can always surprise you after getting used to him in one particular role.  I do wish that he would be cast more especially now in the exponentially waning local industry.  For example, I tend to wonder how he would have fared in say Kati Kati or Nairobi Half Life, regardless of whatever role.  Directors out there should really consider having this man back on our screens. 



4. Paul Ogola

If you are one of those meticulous indie directors like myself who usually have dozens of takes before they are content, then Paul Ogola is the man to work with.  Give this man his script and thereafter you may as well engage auto-pilot as a director because he will not disappoint in delivery.

Like Langiri and Joe Kinyua, Paul is one of the most talented contemporary actors of of our generation - one with a prolific portfolio.  From playing international roles like Jela in Sense8 to local indie work (e.g. Heartshot) to mainstream funded work like Kati Kati (2016) to several appearances in local T.V. ads and theatre work - Paul has more than proven not only why he’s in this list but more importantly why you should cast him in your films.




3. Ken Ambani

The number 3 slot goes to a great of old and one of the pioneers of the Kenyan film industry - Ken Ambani.  At the 2017 Kalasha International Film Festival, the then MC, Maqbul Mohammed, referred to Ken as the ‘Brad Pitt’ of Kenyan film.  He was right.

From the days of Ashina Kibibi’s iconic T.V. series, Tausi, to MTV Shuga, Ken has graced our screens with stellar performances that have inspired both audiences and filmmakers alike, many of whom are on this list as well.  I wonder if he’s still up to be cast in lead acting roles …



2. Raymond Ofula

This man needs no introduction.  I was humbled to have him cast in an indie film I wrote 2 years ago, Kaleidsocope (2016), in which he played a supporting role that later got award nominations for 2 categories in the 2017 Kalasha International Film Festival (Best Actress & Best Short Film).

We probably saw him in a litany of T.V. ads while growing up as children in the early 90s and then again as a lead character in the T.V. series Better Days (2004) and Makutano Junction later on.  Raymond’s wealth of talent and experience in the industry has seen him land international roles as well [i.e. Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003) and Walk With The Lions (1999)].  In my view, Raymond remains one of the most influential figures in Kenya’s creative industry.

1. Maina Olwenya

Love him or hate him, this man is one of the finest actors we have of our generation and his impact is yet to graze the surface of the shifting tide that is indie filmmaking in our country.  Maina Olwenya is the Muhammad Ali of Kenyan acting - naturally, passionately and skilfully playing the ring that is whatever script he is currently working with.  Naturally talented, this guy’s improv skills never fail to deliver notwithstanding the fact that he in fact IS also technically gifted.

Paul Ogola and Maina Olwenya, in my opinion are the beacons of disruptive filmmaking in Kenya (from an acting perspective) and this is something I hope all will remember 5 years from now …
Like his contemporary, Joe Kinyua, there’s literally no role that Olwenya can not play given a script.  Furthermore, he can also do theatre as capably as he does film. 
Olwenya is best known for his role as Oti, a streetwise gangster in the award winning film ‘Nairobi Half Life (2012)’ for which he has garnered notable critical acclaim.

He won the best actor in a play in Sanaa Theatre Awards 2016. Other works include directing plays for FCA Kenya, the series; MTV Shuga Part 2, Mali, Tumaini Senta.  T.V. ads; UEFA Barclays League, Airtel for Zambia, IEBC informercial.  Films; Fifth Estate, Pendo, Deadly Wahala (2017), to more ads: Airtel, Guinness, Safaricom, Shell Fuel, Coca Cola, DW, TransWorld Radio and much more.   I only wish he wouldn’t be ‘mteja’ most of the times I call him :-)

And that's it (hang me now! hahaha!)!  Please do share your thoughts, own reviews, and best actors who may not have featured in our list of top 10.  Remember, the purpose of this blog is to 'open-source' information on both local and foreign films in order to build a better film culture in the country.

Article by Robert Mũnũku

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