Joel Okuyo Atiku
Okuyo Joel Atiku Prynce | |
|---|---|
_in_Nigeria.jpg) Prince (right) and Agnes Kebirungi (left) from Battle of the Souls with Olu Jacobs (centre) in Nigeria | |
| Born | Okuyo Joel Atiku Prynce 4 December 1983 Arua, Uganda |
| Alma mater | Makerere University |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, model, photographer and lecturer |
| Partner | Cindy Sanyu |
Okuyo Joel Atiku Prynce is a Ugandan actor,
Career
His mother recalls that Joel started acting by copying his father's walking style at age 4 plus things he watched on TV or saw at school. By Primary Five, he had won his first award and kept acting throughout his school experience. Okuyo also joined MITG (Music & Instrumental Training Group), an Arua-based Drama Group that championed
The Maisha Film Lab short films he acted in after training at Mira Nair's annual film academy include On Time (2008) directed by Patricia Olwoch, Looserpool, Live Joseph and Estranged (where he played a lead role) directed by Sandra Kosse.
Other shorts he has featured in include Fruits of Love, Journey to Jamaa as Lucky, Haunted Souls and A Good Catholic Girl directed by Matt Bish (which was included in Africa First: Volume Two, an anthology of five short films from new African filmmakers).
He was the face of
He was the first male to appear in the African Woman Magazine's 'All Lights On' Segment in 2010.
Joel appeared in the promo for Love Makanika (TV series), one of the first programmes aired on Pearl Magic that went digital on GOtv beginning Monday 1 October 2018.
Radio
Okuyo has lent his talent as a supporting voice to radio productions like Mako Meere directed by Patricia Olwoch (for Mifumi) and Rock Point by Albert Mwesige (Audio Central). He once worked for Bob FM also.
Theatre
He has acted in theatre performances like Just You Me & the Silence directed by Judith Adong in conjunction with Alfajiri Productions. In 2017, he took part as Lokil in preparing a stage play entitled Strings that will first be performed on 22 November.
Controversial performance
Okuyo received negative criticism, even from friends for acting in The River and the Mountain, a play whose parts Uganda's Media Council ruled "implicitly promote homosexual acts".[4] Written by Oxford-educated poet Beau Hopkins in collaboration with David Cecil, a British producer and the manager of Tilapia (Cultural Centre where the play ran for a week until 23 August 2012), it was deemed contrary to the laws, cultural norms and values of Uganda hence Cecil's arrest on 6 September 2012. In the play, Okuyo plays Samson, a homosexual factory owner killed by his own workers after they are incited by fiercely conservative pastors. Okuyo was accused of "being funded by gay lobby groups", but replied, "I am not into gay advocacy. Although with this play, we do want to make people understand that we are all human. We should not judge, segregate, harm or kill others."
Personal interests
Joel enjoys drawing (Art), fashion, film acting, modelling, meeting new friends, humanitarianism, playing basketball, guitar, swimming, fishing, reading, cooking, writing and travelling. In March 2020, he got engaged to dancehall artiste Cindy Sanyu with whom he had worked on two films November Tear and Bella.[5][6]
Filmography
- Music videos
Okuyo features in Priscilla Kalibala's "Boo", the original soundtrack to Battle of the Souls plus "Free People" written and performed by Terry De Vos as the original soundtrack to State Research Bureau. He also features in Winnie Nwagi's "Kibulamu" music video as her lover. The singer tells him that their relationship lacks certain romantic things, so they need to go their separate ways. Winnie even packs her bag to leave. In the end, they reconcile but while sitting at a table, two packs of condoms fall from Okuyo's coat and the video fades. He also features in "Ready To Leave" by Abasa. Prynce through his production company has made music videos for artistes like Cindy including "Whine Yo Waist", "Sunset" and "Kiki", etc.
- Films
| Year | Title | Role | Production Company | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Battle of the Souls | The Devil | Bish Films | Matt Bish |
| 2008 | On Time | Supporting actor | Maisha Film Lab | Patricia Olwoch |
| 2009 | Hearts in Pieces | Supporting actor | Trends Studios | Mariam Ndagire |
| 2010 | I am Slave | Featured | Altered Image | Gabriel Range |
| 2010 | Imani | Featured | iVAD Production | Carolyn Kamya |
| 2010 | A Good Catholic Girl | Lead | Matt Bish | |
| 2011 | State Research Bureau | (Prisoner) James | Bish Films | Matt Bish |
| 2013 | Imbabazi (The Pardon) |
Lead | Karekezi Films | Joel Karekezi |
| 2013 | Wekeza Inalipa | Featured | Jasons Production | Baba Hadji |
| 2014 | Situka | Supporting actor | Fun Factory | Kwezi Kaganda |
| 2014 | In Reality | Doctor | Douglas Benda Kasule | |
| 2015 | King of Darkness | Lead: Detective Lewis | Machine Gun Preacher Productions | |
| 2015 | The Black Belgian | Supporting actor | Jean Luc Habyarimana | |
| 2016 | Jinxed | Supporting actor | Kampala Film School, Maisha Film Lab | Gary Mugisha |
| 2016 | New Intentions | Supporting actor | Kihiray Pictures | Kihire Kennedy |
| 2016 | Mr. Ability |
DOP | Prynce Pictures | Joel Okuyo Atiku |
| 2016 | Rain | DJ Daddy | Daniel Mugerwa | |
| 2016 | Queen of Katwe | Ggaba Merchant | Walt Disney Pictures, ESPN Films | Mira Nair |
| 2017 | Black and White | Lead | Stone Age Productions | |
| 2017 | Kony: Order from Above | Kony, Omona, first AD | T. Steve Ayeny | |
| 2017 | Bella | Supporting actor, DOP | Bish Films | Matt Bish |
| 2017 | Kyenvu | Supporting actor | Kemiyondo Coutinho | |
| 2017 | The Bad Mexican | Moses | Loukman Ali | |
| 2018 | The Mercy of the Jungle | Imbabazi Productions | Joel Karekezi | |
| 2019 | November Tear | NA | Richard Nondo | |
| 2019 | Splash | Prynce Pictures | Joel Okuyo Atiku |
- Television
| Year | Title | Role | Broadcaster | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Locked Up Abroad | Supporting actor | National Geographic |
Paul Berczeller |
| 2009 | Lost in Africa | Supporting actor | Kuperman TV | Yuval Shefferman |
| 2012 | Raised Wild | Featured | Discovery World | Adrian McFarlane |
| 2013 | Kona | Guest | Multichoice |
Wanjiru Kairu, Natasha Likimani, Damaris Irungu |
| 2017 | Reflections (series) | Lead | Savannah Moon | Nana Kagga |
| 2017 | Brothers (series) | Lead: Keith, Producer, DOP | Jephine Films | |
| 2017 | Taste of Times, Season 2 | Executive Producer, DOP | Jephine Films |
References
- ^ "Facebook Page". Facebook. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
- ^ State Research Bureau Wins Big At Uganda Film Festival (New Vision)
- ^ "Raised Wild". Archived from the original on 19 June 2017. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
- ^ "Artikelen (by Mark Schenkel)". Archived from the original on 9 August 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
- ^ Ninsiima, Audrey. "Meet Joel Okuyo, The Charming Man That Proposed To Singer Cindy". The Tower Post. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
- ^ Nabanja, Rashim. "Singer Cindy gets engaged to movie star Joel Atiku". My Wedding. Archived from the original on 17 October 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
External links
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
