ACTOR PETER KAWA SHARES HIS EXPERIENCE SHOOTING KOREAN BLOCKBUSTER ESCAPE FROM MOGADISHU

Celebrated actor and film producer Peter Kawa has opened up about his experience on the set Korean blockbuster, Escape from Mogadishu.

Speaking in an interview with Buzz Central’s Cheptoek Boyo, Peter said he was called to audition for the role when he was on vacation with his wife in Malindi, “I had just finished my feature film, Lost in Time and I was in limbo, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into and then I heard there was an audition being done by Nini Wacera, I went and auditioned for a particular role and she called me later and said the director loves me but he would me to to try different role.” 

Adding, “I had just landed in Malindi for a vacation with my wife but she allowed me to go back to Nairobi for the second audition.  I got to Nairobi and went to the auditions, she gave me the script but I had already read it on the flight so I was prepared.”

He says the biggest challenge was when he was supposed to smoke and he doesn’t smoke or drink, “I came on set and there was a smoking scene. I took out a pen and pretended I was smoking and Nini was like ‘Hold, what is that?’ and I was like I’m smoking and Nini said, ‘If you’re smoking, smoke.’ She went to her pack and she gave me one cigarette. I told her about my contract, I usually have an extra clause that states I don’t drink or smoke. I hesitated and I started skipping my lines and she told me we were at work. I shouldn’t make excuses. We either do it or I’m out.”

Nini stormed out but his friend who was with him, showed Peter how he could work through the smoking scene. Kawa was picked for the role and had to relocate to Morocco for two months to shoot the film, “They came and picked me from the airport with a Mercedes Benz and I was checked in a five star hotel next to the beach. I remember getting on set and it was 150 Koreans and 150 Moroccans, the set was huge. It was one of the biggest projects I have worked on, I was paid well and treated like a star.”