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Kenyan actor Dedan Juma, known for his gritty performances in 'Pepeta' and 'Cash Money', has become a familiar face in gangster roles. Despite the acclaim he has received, Juma admits he is growing weary of the labels placed on him by casting directors.
In an interview with Buzz Central, the actor shared his frustrations and offered insight into why he believes he's repeatedly cast as a gangster and how this trend speaks to broader issues within Kenya’s film industry.
Juma's character on Cash Money—Sosa—has been one of his most talked-about roles.
His portrayal has been so convincing that audiences now struggle to separate the actor from his character. But Juma insists that what may seem like a ‘natural fit’ is actually a result of hard work and dedication—not typecasting based on appearance.
If it is because of my look, I believe they could have gone for a real gangster in the streets, right?” he said with a hint of frustration. “I believe they’ve seen my potential. They’ve seen I can do something good, so I think that’s what they are tapping.
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The flawed approach to casting
Juma didn’t hold back in his criticism of casting directors in Kenya, whom he accused of playing it safe and failing to challenge both themselves and actors.
“Casting directors, I would say, we have a problem, it’s not good,” Juma said. According to him, when an actor successfully embodies a role, it demonstrates that their skill has matured. But it is also the casting director’s responsibility to see potential beyond one successful character type.
“As a casting director, your ability to see that an actor can play a different role counts a lot,” he said, citing the example of an actor typically viewed as a gangster but who convincingly played a neat and faithful pastor in another series.
Juma emphasised that auditions are rarely handed to actors based on personal preferences or requests. “I don’t think there’s an actor who comes out and says, ‘I want to do this’, and then they just give it to you. You just audition, you just try your luck. If you are called, it’s okay. If you are not called, it’s okay.”
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Kenya’s film industry reluctant to take risks
For Juma, the problem lies not only in perception but also in fear. He believes casting directors often doubt whether an actor can perform outside of their usual type.
When they see you, they say, ‘Unaeza tu kuwa mwizi’.... They don’t want to challenge themselves to give you a different task,” he said. “Because they feel if they give you a different task, maybe you won’t pull it well. But they haven’t tried, you know.
He expressed his disappointment at the fact that despite a decade in the industry, he’s yet to be seen as anything other than a gangster. “Unfortunately, 10 years of convincing them, they have never seen me as any other person.”
Despite his personal frustrations, Juma acknowledged the commercial realities of filmmaking. “I cannot blame them because at the end of the day, it’s work and they are looking for that money,” he admitted.
But even as he understands the pressures faced by filmmakers, he dreams of one day being cast in a radically different role—such as a loving, faithful husband. “A man who is cast as a faithful husband in a series. Yes, we are waiting for that,” he said, smiling.
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For Juma, the real challenge and opportunity lies in daring to cast actors against type, allowing them to showcase the full breadth of their abilities.