Allan Kutos Katongole
ALLAN KUTOS KATONGOLE, 33, is an actor, singer and dancer best known for his role as Oscar Kirunda in the TV series, Sanyu. QuickTalk caught up with the multitalented actor for a chat.
Who is Allan Kutos Katongole?
Allan is a hardworking person, passionate about what he does and very humble; in public, you will find me as the quietest person, but enjoying whatever is going on. I am nothing without God. Professionally, I am an actor, singer, dancer and commercial model.
Okay! And where does your story start?
I was born right here in Kampala, in Nsambya hospital and grew up in Makindye; it is the place that bred the kind of person and things I do today like acting, dancing and singing.
I went to Bat Valley primary school and was very active in music, dance and drama where I won several certificates. I went to Makindye SS for senior one and two, then St Lawrence Crown Campus for the rest of O-level and St Lawrence Creamland
for A-level, where I was an entertainment prefect at both schools.
I also did sports especially [track and field] and rugby. My journey as a dancer started from church at Makindye Christian Centre. Later, I joined Watoto Church and while there, I joined a dancing and singing group called TMS. I have actually done an album, The Collection, with eight songs on it [you don’t say!]
So many talents in one person! What nurtured all that?
I think it was dancing, because in it, we incorporated so many things. It is where the inspiration for singing and acting came from. But also from my family; I come from a family of talented people; so, maybe it is in my genes. My mother was a singer in the church choir and my dad was a ballroom dancer and we used to have lots of fun.
Michael Ross [RnB singer and dancer] is my elder brother, and I used to copy my dance moves from him and go to perform in karaoke with him. My sister Stella Nante is also an actress and she has been in several movies and series.
Wow! Talented family indeed. What did you want to be, growing up?
[Laughs]. Oh wow. Honestly, I won’t say I wanted to be a doctor, lawyer, pilot or any of those swanky professions. I was so into the talents that I had especially dancing, but I wanted to go beyond being just a dancer. I used to watch so many movies and say one day I want to be like Arnold Schwarzenegger or Rambo [Sylvester Stallone] but it wasn’t clear to me that I would be an actor today, though it is something I admired to be.
When did you start acting, then?
It was my sister Stella Nante, who started calling me for acting gigs around 2016 and the first one was acting as a doctor in
Second Chance on NTV. Then in 2018, I auditioned for the 27 Guns movie where I was given the role of Al Hajji Moses Kigongo. Then during the first lockdown of Covid-19, Mathew Nabwiso called me to audition for a role in the Sanyu series and I was cast for a lead role.
And you are good! Have you dropped dancing and singing?
No, it is just that acting is very demanding and given the role that I am doing now, it is so engaging that it is hard to do something else; I work almost seven days a week since this is a series that airs every day. I am just going to start planning for my music, because I want to resume by releasing a full album, not just one single. I want to do better music now amidst my acting; I first wanted to solidify the acting bit and then resume with music possibly next year.
It is surprising that you haven’t yet worked with your sister and brother….
I know. I feel like Stella and I owe each other, because there are so many things we did as kids and she introduced me to acting; so, I would love to work with her as a way of appreciating her.
For Michael, the only reason we didn’t work together by the time he was doing music was because I was doing Gospel music then and he was doing secular music. So, in a way there was that contradiction, but it is something we are looking out to do now.
I also want him to venture into movies. So, whether we meet up in studio to record music or on set to shoot a movie, I know we are going to work together.
What achievements have you so far gotten out of acting?
Acting has surprised me. I used to watch awards shows and imitate the speeches those actors gave after winning, but never did I see myself doing the same in real life. So far, I have won Best Actor in a drama series at the Uganda Film Festival in 2022; I was nominated for Best Actor in the Janzi awards in 2021 and recently I was nominated for best actor in drama series in the Ikona awards.
I have been recognized in a way that I didn’t expect and, to me, that is a big achievement.
What has been your biggest challenge as an actor?
They are so many. Acting is a mental job; so, you need to have your mental health right. The viewers don’t want to know what troubles you might be going through; as long as you get in front of the camera, you have to make your character work.
So, you might find that amidst everything I might be going through mentally, I just have to compose myself and get
the job done, which can be hard.
Have you had any embarrassing moment on set?
Yes [bursts into laughter]. I remember there was a time my character was supposed to be tipsy in the club and I was supposed to drop my trousers and remain in my boxers to show how drunk I was.
But in a way I wasn’t really comfortable with that because I was the only guy among the many girls in the scene. I was feeling so shy to do it that the director had to cut and ask me why I was shying off, but in the end I did it and the scene turned out so nice.
Your best movie of all time…
That is so hard. [Gives it a long thought] I will go for Training Day by Denzel Washington, because it helped me to learn how to switch from doing a good guy character to a villain just like he did.
Best actor and actress…
It has to be Denzel Washington and Viola Davis, respectively.
How do you spend your free time, Allan?
It is hard to get any free time unless they give it to me and it is usually abrupt. So when it comes in, it is then that I start looking for something to do. I usually listen to music in order to calm down. I am now also learning movie production because I realized that as an actor, I need to grow. Sometimes I go learn a dance routine.
What is your relationship status?
I am not yet married and don’t have children yet but I am looking forward to it. [Quick Talk insists on whether he is dating anyone] Dating or not dating, I am looking forward to everything.
Eh! Okay, who is your ideal woman?
God-fearing and good personality. To me looks are like number three, because if I am going to take you as my wife, I am going to have to deal with you every day so you must have a character that I can deal with and if I cannot deal with it, not even your beauty can save me.
But I imagine lots of ladies must be hitting you up…
I attend to whoever approaches me, but not flirting. I keep my distance and keep them as fans and go focus on doing my work because it is my work which brings them to me. So, I can’t focus on them and I forget my work. I do respect my fans big time, but I have my [boundaries].
Any new movie projects coming up?
Soon, there is a short action movie which is going to come out where I have acted and I am sure it is going to be a blockbuster. I like doing action movies because they are my childhood passion. I have also been called to be part of a number of other movies but we haven’t yet started shooting.
How does the future look like for you?
I want to be the best version of myself. My plan is to become the best actor I can ever be. I also want to venture into producing movies other than just acting and I want to produce blockbusters.
jjingoernest1@gmail.com
Source: The Observer
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