From Kenya’s Film Industry to the US Military, Paul Ogola is Chasing the Ultimate Dream

Paul Ogola has one hell of a portfolio, more than his peers or even seasoned veterans in Kenya’s film and TV industry could ever boast of. Notably, his credits include the monumental Nairobi Half Life – Kenya’s first entry to the Oscars, Netflix’s ground-breaking series Sense8, Mbithi Masya’s supernatural drama Kati Kati and Crime and Justice, Showmax’s first Original in Kenya and first co-production with Canal+.

Having gained acclaim at a young age and worked on international productions like Sense8, Ogola has experienced first-hand what it means to exist in an environment where art is truly appreciated. It has made him restless and ambitious, constantly seeking better, constantly chasing the dream. “I’ve always just wanted a chance to showcase my skills in the best way possible,” he says. When Kenya couldn’t provide this opportunity, he sought it elsewhere, miles away from home – in the US military, serving a country that could offer him the best chance at realising his dream: a break into the big Hollywood.

We have this interview late into the night, just a few minutes past midnight East African time. Ogola, now a sailor, recently graduated top of his class (among over 1500 recruits) at the U.S. Navy’s Recruit Training Command where he received the prestigious Military Excellence Award (MEA). “I feel so happy having achieved this milestone, and in such a big way. It validated my reasons for doing this in the first place. It also proved to me that if you want to do something, you don’t half-ass it; you have to go all the way and give it your all,” Ogola says. He apologises for the late hour, explaining that he’s at the barracks where he’s receiving additional training before being assigned to his duty station.

“It’s a great adventure, something different, full of life and challenging as well,” Ogola says of his experience in the military. “But, you know, that’s what I love about life – experiencing new things every day. I really appreciate that.”

The training has been rigorous, but he embraces the challenge. “You can’t afford to be slacking or anything so you have to keep on training and learning every single day especially if you want to excel.”

Ogola’s ambitions have always been big. Ever since he finished high school and relocated to Nairobi in 2007 to pursue acting, he has wanted to captivate the world with his craft. Taking the plunge and relocating to the US was the most natural next step for him.

“Dreaming of Hollywood is something that automatically came to my mind when I relocated to Nairobi. Year by year, month by month, day by day, I was working towards that dream” he says.

He got his first best shot at Hollywood with the ambitious Netflix series, Sense8, alongside other Kenyan actors like Mumbi Maina, Lwanda Jawar, Nini Wacera, Peter King Mwania and Chichi Seii. Created and directed by the Wachowski sisters (Lana and Lilly Wachowski), Sense8 (released in 2015) was ahead of its time, particularly for its innovative story-telling and diverse representation.

For Kenyan actors like Ogola, Sense8 was a dream come true – a career-making opportunity that should have opened more doors into Hollywood, given their commendable performances and the show’s fandom, which lives on to date.

Granted, breaking into Hollywood isn’t always easy for African actors, but when it happens, the rise can be meteoric under the right circumstances. Just look at South Africa’s Thuso Mbedu, a fast-rising star with global recognition. Mbedu catapulted from MultiChoice’s International Emmy-nominated drama Is’Thunzi to lead Barry Jenkins series The Underground Railroad for Amazon Prime Video. She has since starred in the high-profile action epic The Woman King, alongside Viola Davis, and will soon appear in the upcoming HBO crime drama Task, alongside the likes of Mark Ruffalo and Emilia Jones.

Maybe it was timing, but for Ogola and his Sense8 Kenyan counterparts, one can’t help but wonder what could have been if the stars had just aligned more perfectly, and the series wasn’t as short-lived as it was on Netflix. The streaming giant cancelled it after just two seasons. However, despite how everything turned out, this was the project that showed Ogola what could be. He tasted the dream, and he wanted more.

“All my roles until this point have been great, but the one I hold really close to my heart is Jela in Sense8,” he admits. “It found me at a point in my life where I had quit acting and was working as a video editor. This was a role that exuded nothing but love, happiness, possibilities, discoveries and adventures.” The very things he is deeply in search of. The experience elevated him personally and professionally. “I wouldn’t be where I am now without Jela and Sense8.”

Ogola’s sense of purpose only deepened when he visited the US after filming Sense8 season 2. “Courtesy of Lana Wachowski and the entire production, I was invited for the Sense8 post-production process, ADR and master classes conducted by Debbie Aquila. I got to see how the international market works and how it can tap into talent such as mine,” he says.

It was an eye-opening experience for the actor, who was 26 at the time. He took notes and formulated a plan on how to make that big leap to the US. It wasn’t an easy journey when he came back to Kenya in 2018. “Now that I had skills and education, I tried getting work in Kenya but I just couldn’t.”

Undeterred, Ogola decided to expedite his relocation to the US, and so began the journey that would see him enlist in the US Navy. He applied for a special category permanent visa granted to individuals with exceptional work. His application, which showcased his body of work as an actor, was approved without the need for any referrals or more evidence, just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020.

It was during this period of waiting, along with the rest of the world, for the pandemic to die down that Ogola starred in Crime and Justice in 2021, his last role in Kenya before relocating. In the Showmax series, he delivers a standout (and underutilised) performance as a morally ambiguous prosecutor that in better circumstances, would be worthy of a spin-off. “Crime and Justice was very much Paul Ogola’s voice. I poured so much of my ideologies on social justice into my character Sokoro, and a deeper exploration of the character was always my wish with subsequent seasons or spin-offs.”

More wins came when he was selected as a juror for the International Emmy Awards in 2022, a remarkable achievement, though he faced the indignity of having to beg for funds to attend the ceremony in New York.

This unfortunate experience was the last straw, and it solidified his resolve to leave Kenya. Even before that, he had struggled to find his place in the industry despite his proven skills and body of work. “I lost the inspiration behind what I love doing because I found myself in a position where I had to prove so much, more than necessary,” Ogola says. “I’ve seen great minds diminish or even die because of how they’re treated in the industry. For me, it’s not even about making it or anything; it’s about just getting an opportunity to work.”

Today, more than anything, Ogola is at peace with himself. “Having the freedom to think and apply is something I don’t take for granted. It makes me feel so alive and happy,” he says. “It’s all I have been fighting for so long, and I couldn’t let my experiences in Kenya break me like it has so many of my peers and those that came before me.”

It’s the kind of peace that also comes from having the right kind of people by his side. Like his sister Mary who he describes as an angel. “You need those people in your family who believe in your dream, no matter how crazy it is. My sister is like that for me.” Or his girlfriend and fellow actor Adelyne Nimo (Watu Wote: All of Us) who relocated with him to the US. “She’s been with me since 2013, praying, supporting me and being loyal to the dream that we share.” His whole family is part of this dream but no one has been his biggest supporter, from the very first day, like his late grandmother. “I used to tell her about this dream, and she would always tell me that everything is possible in Christ. That I had to keep going and never stop. She was the first person who ever really believed in me.”

So much so, that when Ogola received the military excellence award, he broke down. “I really wished that I could share this amazing news with her because she saw it during her last days. And for me to see it coming to fruition, I just thank her that even though she’s absent physically, she’s present with me on this journey in spirit.”

What’s next for Ogola? Despite the miles separating him from Kenya, his heart remains tethered to home. “I’m always keeping up with what’s happening back home because I’m still part of the Kenyan film and TV industry. In fact, I’m working on a project with alumni from One Fine Day, which you’ll hear about in due time.” And even though he’s currently focusing on serving his new country in the Navy, acting remains his first love and he’s never letting go. “Acting is a long game; I’ll be doing it until my last breath.”