Kenyan actor Robert Agengo.
It's almost pointless to ask Robert Agengo how many films he has appeared in. The man has been on screen since 2004. A better question might be which role stands tallest among the many he has played.
However, like most seasoned actors, he would probably say that each role was important in its own way. Still, there has to be that one unforgettable experience. The kind of role that stays stitched into memory long after the cameras stop rolling…
When I started acting, there weren't many TV shows, so I mostly performed on the theatre stage. We travelled quite a lot around the country performing in high school productions. It was through theatre that I got noticed and began to find myself on screen.
Many actors would tell you that they get most of their satisfaction from stage acting, rather than screen acting.
In my view, there hasn't been a better film shot in Kenya than 'Nairobi Half Life'. I have yet to see one.
Failing an audition doesn't mean you can't act. It just means that you are not right for the role they are looking for. For the record, once you become an actor, you will always have to audition for roles, no matter how good you are.
If you ever let your ego take control because you're a top actor and decide not to audition, I promise you, you'll go months without work, because there are so many actors, including up-and-coming ones, who always show up for auditions. In acting, there are no shortcuts.
Personal problems and stress never affect my acting. Even if the woman I loved most in the world dumped me and I was needed on set at that very moment, I would still show up, switch on and play my character as if nothing had happened.
The only thing that can throw me off balance is my obsessive need for order. I struggle with OCD tendencies. If I leave the house without making the bed or washing up, I know my day will be chaotic. I will struggle on set. I need to know that I have left everything in order. That is the only way I can ensure my day flows smoothly.
I am a father of six children from five different mothers. My firstborn is 18. Don't ask me why I had children with several different women. Let's just say that life happens.
Personally, I don't believe you need to be married to have a family. I'm fine with a man or a woman choosing not to get married, but that doesn't mean you can't have a family if you decide to have children with someone. The important thing is that you take care of your children with whoever you have them with.
I honestly believe that if people chose not to marry, many relationships would be more peaceful. I say this because I am happy and at peace with how I get along with all my children's mothers. I'm not sure if this would have been the case if we had lived together as partners or husband and wife under the same roof.
This is why I think our grandparents in Africa, many of whom were in polygamous marriages, understood the importance of personal space. You would find a man with five wives, but each wife had her own home and her own space. That distance created balance. The 'out of sight' moments helped to strengthen the bond.
Constantly being around a partner can sometimes create unnecessary tension. When you're always around each other, familiarity can breed contempt, and even the smallest things can turn into fights or arguments over nothing serious.
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