There’s a gay scene on Nairobi Half Life. It’s already “out” there. So, when we were interviewing to members of the film’s cast, it was impossible to let them go without asking them about it. Check out a transcript of the conversation below.
Ghafla!: “The film explores themes of homosexuality. You had interesting comments about that scene.”
Olwenya Maina: “As an actor, you must be able to go for anything. Of course there are actors who can’t go for things which contradict their beliefs, you have to respect them. Homosexuality, I can go for it even if it’s kissing, even if it’s making out. It’s just a feeling. The only problem is if you fail to de-role after acting it. You have to detach yourself in this job.”
G!: “Did someone here de-role after that scene?”
OM: [Laughs]
G!: “I need to hear your opinion on that.”
Joseph K. Wairimu: “I share the same sentiments with Olwenya Maina. As an actor you’re supposed to work because that’s your profession. But again, personally, I would say the most important thing is to be able paint the kind of character that you’ve been given. If you’re in a position to convince your audience that you’re kissing or it brings the same effect as kissing, if there are those choices, then you are entitled to whichever way that you’re going to go for in order to manoeuvre in that kind of situation. So, for intance in this movie, that character painted what was expected through other means.”
OM: “Our work is not to make evil triumph but if you’re an actor and you have to play this devil, you have to make it believable.”
G!: “I don’t know if it’s Kenyans or if it’s conservative people who are loudest, but that would have been a huge issue. People would have said, ‘boycott this movie because this scene is bad.’ Is it that the other parts were so good that people were ready to forgive that scene?”
OM: “I think we got cushioned. That particular scene happens almost at the climax of the movie. After following this movie, under the circumstances, you understand that this guy had no option.”
by Adam Wagwau Share
Source – Ghafla!
