Kenya’s most prominent TV villain Ainea Ojiambo now wants a 'romantic' role

Popular Kenyan actor Ainea Ojiambo has, perhaps, played ‘bad guy’ roles for the most part of his on-screen career; and now he just may be ready to go a little soft.

Ojiambo claimed his part as Kenya’s most prominent and busiest TV bad boy with past roles in ‘Makutano Junction,’ ‘Nairobi Half Life’ and ‘Demigods’, to recent ones like the dirty cop Juma doing Nana Tandala’s (Sanaipei Tande) bidding in Maisha Magic’s ‘Kina,’ and the crooked prison warden Musa in Showmax thriller ‘Igiza.’

He went ahead to cement himself with his role in the new Showmax political thriller series ‘County 49,’ where he plays Okusimba Sibi aka Ox, the deposed Governor of Bwatele County.

Ox plays a stereotypical African politician - charismatic, deeply corrupt, deeply loved by his supporters, and with just enough capacity for dictatorship if left to his own devices.

But just why does Ojiambo like to play bad guys?

“Most directors think that I’m able to portray such characters so well. And you know what they say, ‘If you can play a bad guy then you must be one of the best because playing a good guy is easy. Everybody can do it,’” he says.

“Maybe it’s the authority that I have that makes me play those parts well. I study a lot of men in power, but I think maybe the roles find me because of my physique.”

However, as he ponders his next role, Ojiambo now says he’s ready to move away from the ‘bad guy’ role to a more romantic one.

“I think next time, I’ll go for an Alejandro type of character, a romantic guy so that I can show people I can also do romance, the kind of role that will make people cry when they see me frustrated in love,” he says.

The actor is also a licensed gun holder who lent his weapon expertise to the cast of ‘County 49,’ teaching them how to handle guns since the show is heavy on the action and gun fights.