The British-Ugandan film star wants to open a lane for African film talent
International actor Daniel Kaluuya might be one of the most recognisable screen talents on the planet, but he has never shied away from talking about his roots on the African continent. Born to Ugandan parents, Daniel has made a strong effort to show off his heritage and use his platform to bring the spotlight back to Africa – and he looks to have done so again this week during an interview with BBC Africa.
Speaking to BBC News Africa journalist Princess Irede, popularly known as Princess Ire, Daniel glowed when asked to talk about Uganda and the African continent. He saved his best advice for a question which he’s probably had to answer a number of times and he more than willingly did so once again when he was asked to offer advice to upcoming African talents.
Africa is a melting pot of film talent and we’ve seen the results of it in recent years. Nollywood remains one of the world’s biggest film industries; in East Africa, talents like Daniel and Kenya’s Lupita Nyong’o have lit up the world stage; while in South Africa, actors like Pearl Thusi have gained international acclaim thanks to her new Netflix blockbuster, Queen Sono.
Seeing the continent’s potential is one thing; but helping people break through is another altogether. Daniel shared some advice for African talents which are bubbling under when he said:
“Make sure you’re not waiting for a phone call, and use that time to keep getting better at your craft! Also, do it because you love it. Even if I wasn’t getting paid I would still be doing it.”
Speaking about his love for the African continent in an interview with NewsVision Uganda, Daniel said:
“Uganda is my home. I have come to Uganda and lived there so many times for even up to six weeks at a time. I must tell you; the best Christmas I have had in my life was in Uganda in 2011.”
Daniel Kaluuya will be starring in a brand new film titled Queen and Slim which is in cinemas this month. You can check out the trailer below:
