Nairobi News

Talented actor Blessing Lung’aho is a household name in the Kenyan acting scene.

In a sit-down interview with Nairobi News, Blessing spoke about his journey and the challenges.

“I am honoured that God has allowed me to showcase my range in this new role. I am looking forward to my mother and my fans watching it. She (my mother) always said I had no talent, but in this case, I did my best,” he said.

Blessing is portraying “Rob” in the series “Untying Kantai”, a role he insists should not be confused with his real-life persona.

“I don’t think there’s any similarity between what I do and who I am. I have to put in a lot of practice and take a lot of direction because I can’t lie that I’m really good, but I get to set, rehearse and give it my all,” he said, adding that it was one of his most challenging roles.

Lung’aho adds that he is at a point in his life where he feels God’s guidance in his acting journey.

Talking about the toll acting takes on him, Lung’aho explained that each role has unique challenges.

“De-rolling for me means watching films. I sit in my house for days watching other actors, and that helps me get away from the characters. I don’t have a specific method; it’s usually just doing nothing for a while. I ignore phone calls and disconnect from everything – that’s how I de-role.”

“Yes, often. Every character I have ever played takes a piece of my soul. It takes a lot out of me.”

He added: “This new role, the rogue cop, he doesn’t walk like me, he doesn’t talk like me, he doesn’t do anything that I do, and for me to be comfortable doing those things and having to go home and be me was a bit challenging, especially the first few days. And when I finished shooting, it was even tougher.

Lung’aho studied accounting at school and initially wanted to work in a bank, but he says God had other plans for him.

Reflecting on his 14-year career in the industry, Lung’aho noted significant changes have taken place.

“I used to act when I was younger, but I didn’t expect to continue into adulthood. Fourteen years later, I’m still here. The industry is growing. I have the opportunity to play different characters every day, not just one like Alexandro. I’m not a struggling actor, which means the industry is busy. We’re not where we want to be yet, but we’re making progress,” he said.

“Untying Kantai” premiered on May 9 on Showmax. The 13-episode original series promises to captivate audiences with its compelling storytelling and talented ensemble cast.

The series follows King Kantai, a man who has worked hard for 30 years to provide for his family, only to be swindled out of his life’s savings.

Amid a mid-life crisis, Kantai is presented with a dangerous but potentially lucrative opportunity involving a truckload of antipsychotic drugs worth millions.

He is faced with a critical decision: turn the drugs over to the authorities or sell them to secure his family’s future, plunging him into a world of danger and deceit.

“Untying Kantai was written by Abel Mutua and directed by Philip Karanja of Phil It Productions, known for its award-winning projects such as Sue na Jonnie and A Grand Little Lie.

Producer Denise Kibisu ensures that the series maintains the high standard of quality associated with Showmax Originals.

The series features a strong cast, including Benson Ojuwa as King Kantai, Silayio as Angela Kantai, Sanchez Ombasa as Emory “MRI” Sagini and Francis Ouma as Succoth “Acekay” Kantai.

Away from the screen, Lung’aho has attracted attention for his personal life.

Blessing shares a daughter with fellow actress Jackie Matubia.

The couple, who were once engaged, split in 2023 and made headlines after Jackie claimed Blessing was not supporting their child.

Jackie advised women to have children with men who can provide for them.

In her words, Jackie said: “I keep telling you guys, even if you decide to have children, pataneni watoto na watu wako na akili. Hehe juu wengine wetu pia, even me who is advising you pia kimeniramba.”

Despite the allegations, Blessing has remained tight-lipped about his split with Jackie.

Nairobi News recently caught up with Blessing at the Showmax relaunch.

When asked how he deals with Social Media pressure, Lung’aho explained that he keeps his peace by staying offline for periods.

“As a public figure, I’m vulnerable to pressure, but I deal with it by disconnecting. Trouble doesn’t find me when I’m offline. I’ve never been affected by social media pressure because I’m not online most of the time. I understand that being a public figure has its challenges. If you pray for rain, you can’t run away from the mud,” he said.

When asked about the worst thing ever said about him on social media, Blessing said his friends protect him from it.

“I don’t know anything because I didn’t go looking for it. I have my circle of friends and they make sure they protect me. If you insult me online, my boys call me and tell me not to go online. I don’t know and I don’t care. I don’t even know anything bad about social media because it has opened doors for people like me to put my craft out there,” he said.