Nick’s cross

By Shirley Genga

Pulse: When did you start acting? Nick Ndeda: I started acting in Highway Secondary School after my brother dared me. He did not think I could command an audience because I was too shy, so I joined to prove him wrong. In 2001 in my second year of high school I was Runners up for best actor during drama festival and in my last year I won best actor at drama festival in 2003.

P: After high school… NN:I told my parents that I wanted to be an actor. My parents did not try to change my mind they gave me a year to try ‘this acting thing’ and get it out of my system. I had studied French while in high school and I knew that Alliance Francaise was the best place to be if you were looking for an acting gig. Whenever I would hear about an acting audition I would go but I kept getting rejected.

P: How did you deal with the rejection? NN: At first I would conform myself that it was not my time but by my eighth audition around March of 2005 I begun to doubt myself and think maybe I was not as good as I had believed. However, I still continued to go for auditions but by my 15th audition I remember telling myself, that if I did not get the part I would walk away, luckily I got the part. It opened the door for me into the theatre world; afterwards the roles kept on coming. I got to work at Nairobi National theatre, Phoenix and Festival of Creative Arts.

P: When did you get into television? NN: In 2010 I got the chance to be on television for the first time. I got a role in the television series, Higher Learning. Then last year I began to feel the itch for growth. I would print monologues from movies and plays and practise script reading then I heard about Shuga Two auditions from a friend. The day I got the role I had waited in line for over six hours and auditioned five times. The last time they called me to audition they asked me to rap and I remember I rapped about how I was tired and hungry from standing for over six hours (laughs) and I got the part of Angelo.

P: How did you come across Jacob’s Cross? NN: Some of the crew shooting Shuga were from Jacob’s Cross and I heard that they were looking for a Kenyan actor/actress to join the cast. Initially, I thought it was too far-fetched but in November I got a call and was called for an interview at Sankara Hotel. Soon after, I was informed I had landed the role.    

P: What role do you play? NN: I play a guy called Kalonzo, a good guy but because it is an action drama there is a lot of character switches and I have to put a macho face. There is a lot of action, so I get to jump out of moving vehicles, jump over fences and do fight scenes. My character gets to spend lots of time, on-screen with, Hlomla Dandala — one of South Africa’s biggest stars.

P: How often do you fly there for the shooting? NN: They shoot the season annually from November to April. They first flew me there in December for a week, since then they have been flying me there for a week every month. The series is shot across South Africa.

P: How do you keep yourself grounded? The celebrity culture in South Africa is so crazy, the actors; models and singers have a lot of buzz and money. I even met Drake (the rapper) raving in one of the celebrity clubs. In this industry everyone keeps telling you, you are good but you have to be careful. I do not listen to the hype because the hype can end but self-belief is constant.

P: You are also in radio. How did you get into the fold? NN: In 2007 my brother heard about Homeboyz radio auditions and he asked me to tag along to keep him company while he waited on the line and because I did not have anything else to do I did and the rest is history.

P: Has the limelight changed your life?  NN: 2008 was a great year for me in terms of growth as a radio presenter and financially. I even got into Emceeing and production but my personal life was a mess. Suddenly everyone wanted to be my friend because I was on radio. I was earning almost nine times what I was getting in theatre. I ended up drinking so much, I seriously cannot remember half of 2008.

P: Looking back do you understand you behaviour then? NN: When I was younger I was a loner and never had any friends but suddenly I had all these friends and attention. I cannot even remember half of the women I hooked up with in that year. I used to drink so much, I always looked tired and my skin was breaking out. People would often ask me if I was feeling okay.

P: When did you get the wakeup call? NN: In 2009 one of my many friends who I trusted a lot borrowed a lot of money from me, money I had been saving for school fees but he disappeared and did not pay. The experience made me realise that most of the people who I thought were my friends were not. I also met a very special gal who made me ditch random skirt chasing. She completely changed my life. She is called Thogii, she is a model and we are still together.

P: Why did you leave Homeboyz? NN: I may have entered radio by mistake but I grew to love it. I had great teachers like G-money and Super Producer but I reached a point where I felt it was time to move. I had learnt all that I could learn and it was time for something new. I ensured I left on good terms. I also wanted to try my hand on television but after I left I got an offer to work at Hot 96 and I accepted. The demographic is different and it was a great growth experience. There I got the chance to do both a Drive and the Morning show.

P: You quit Hot 96 too? NN: I like to listen to my inner voice, I felt I grown and had learnt all I could learn there, I left on good terms. I did not know where I was going or what I was going to do but I knew that it was time to quit.

P: Apart from Jacob’s Cross, what else are you up to? NN: I am back on radio at XFM as a Drive presenter. I have also been working on a script with a friend.

[PHOTOS: WILBERFORCE OKWIRI / STANDARD]