Top Ugandan actors to star in Amin film

Jun 05, 2005

TOP Ugandan actors Abby Mukiibi, Stephen Rwangyezi and Sam Okello are to assume leading roles in the premier film The last King of Scotland, to be filmed here.

By Cyprian Musoke
TOP Ugandan actors Abby Mukiibi, Stephen Rwangyezi and Sam Okello are to assume leading roles in the premier film The last King of Scotland, to be filmed here.
Addressing the press at the Sheraton Hotel in Kampala on Saturday, the Ugandan actors expressed enthusiasm at the opportunity to work together with a cast of international actors.
The film stars Forest Whitaker as the ruthless former Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, with award winning Kerry Washington as one of Amin’s wives.
Based on Giles Foden’s award-winning novel of the same name, the story centres on Nicholas Garrigan, a Scottish doctor who becomes Amin’s personal physician.
Flattered at first, the doctor soon discovers his own inadvertent role in Amin’s savagery.
“It is an honour for us. It’s something good for us Ugandan artists to feature in a movie of this magnitude, especially that it is related to our own history,” Abby Mukiibi of Afri-talent group said.
Mukiibi will play Amin’s right hand man, Stephen Rwangyezi of Ndere Troupe will play a high ranking government minister while Sam Okello, also of Ndere Troupe, will be a worker in a rural clinic, who makes friendship with Amin’s doctor.
Other Ugandan actors in the cast are Sarah Naggayi and Michael Wawuyo.
Film director Kevin macdonald said the US$6m (sh10b) budget film project will employ over 300 Ugandans directly and indirectly.
Senior Presidential advisor on media affairs John Nagenda, who is coordinating the film on part of the Government, said President Yoweri Museveni had expressed a lot of enthusiasm at the opportunity to get Uganda on the big screen.
Production begins this month in Uganda and in the UK with Fox Searchlight distributing the film in July 2006.
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