Brian Ogola is a household name in the local entertainment scene. He fell in love with acting while in high school but began to take it seriously in 2013.
His father, like most parents, wanted him to have a career in business or law, however, he was keen on chasing his dreams.
“Other than business, I had no idea what else I really wanted to do. Of course, things like law came up, things that always come up because your parents are also suggesting these ideas to you. Lakini baadaye nakarealise Mimi ni msanii tu,” he told a local daily in a past interview.
Here is his story as told by WoK.
Background
The actor was Born on 8th December 1989. He was was raised up in Greenfields Estate in Donholm and later Umoja Estate.
He is the second born in a family of 14 children. His mother is the second wife. Although growing up in a huge family had its challenges, it brought joy, compassion and strength.
His father hoped that he would help him with his business. He did try for a while and even worked as an accountant.
However, after enrolling for a law degree, he dropped out after two semesters. His passion lay in acting and he decided to pursue it.
“Before I went in to acting, I had a career in accounting. I have a few diplomas under my belt, but I had to drop out of law school after two semesters because it wasn’t working for me. It is that I have had for a while now”, he told the Daily Nation.
Education
From 1996 to 2003, he attended Unity Primary School in Umoja before proceeding to St. Mary’s Yala (2004-2007).
He then undertook short business courses at Technical University of Kenya and Kenya Institute of Management.
“I was stalling doing sales and marketing at Kenya Polytechnic. I did another diploma at the Kenya Insititute of Management (KIM). I did accounting until CPA 3 and I felt like a zombie –punching numbers into a machine and going for auditions in the evening to see if I could get any roles. It was a really confusing thing,” he shared.
Acting
The 33 year old has landed roles in some of the biggest drama series and films including: Jane and Abel, 18 Hours,The System, Lies that Bind, Love 101, Lusala, Poacher, Selina and Kati Kati.
The system is a political drama where he played the president’s son who faces challenges in gaining respect in the political arena.
The film 18 Hours is based on a true story and he was one of the lead actors.
Brian Ogola played the role of a paramedic trying to show another medical how everything needs to be done.
