Joel Okuyo Atiku


Okuyo Joel Atiku Prynce is a Ugandan actor, model, photographer and lecturer at Uganda Christian University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Social Work and Social Administration plus Makerere University, the Best Two Campuses in Uganda. His film acting breakthrough came when he was cast as the Devil's reincarnation in Ugandan director Matt Bish's 2007 Film Battle of the Souls, a popular Ugawood Movie. It was based on the real-life story of the director's brother, KFM Radio Presenter Roger Mugisha. Prynce is also the President of his own company The Lhynnq-X, Inc. Born in Arua on 4 December 1983 to a Lugbara couple, the late Lt.Colonel Gabriel Francis Atiku and Yema Drakuru Atiku, his debut villain role won him over five international accolades including Best Supporting Actor at the Balafon Film Festival in Bari, Italy and 2009's Best Actor in Supporting Role at the African Movie Academy Awards in Lagos, Nigeria. Other awards include Best Actor at both Ubuntu Village, Colorado in 2010 and the 2011 Zanzibar International Film Festival in Tanzania. Ugandan newspaper The Observer labelled Okuyo Africa's Brad Pitt.

Career

His mother recalls that Joel started acting by copying his father's walking style at age 4 plus things he watched on TV or saw at school. By Primary Five, he had won his first award and kept acting throughout his school experience. Okuyo also joined MITG, an Arua-based Drama Group that championed European Union AIDS Intervention Programmes in West Nile. Joel has acted in many films and plays, both local and international plus worked with world class directors such as Michael Landon, Jr., Gabriel Range, Adrian McFarlane, Ruman Kudwai, Yuval Shefferman and fellow countryman Matt Bish. Joel played roles in feature films like State Research Bureau plus TV Series like Locked Up Abroad, Raised Wild and Lost in Africa.
The Maisha Film Lab short films he acted in after training at Mira Nair's annual film academy include On Time directed by Patricia Olwoch, Looserpool, Live Joseph and Estranged directed by Sandra Kosse.
Other shorts he has featured in include Fruits of Love, Journey to Jamaa as Lucky, Haunted Souls and A Good Catholic Girl directed by Matt Bish.
He was the face of BlackBerry Curve in 2007. Then in 2009, he became a runway model at V.I.P fashion night in Lagos, Nigeria. He has worked as a model at Vanity Models and Uganda's Gorgeous Fashions. Joel's face also appears in SAB Miller Television, Billboard & Print Media advertisements for beer brands such as Stone Lager in Ghana, Safari Lager in Tanzania and Nile Special Lager in his home country, all directed by Mark Lawrie for The Videolounge. Other TV commercials include Warid Telecom directed by Steve Jean; Warid, Stanbic Bank and Johns Hopkins University directed by Carolyn Kamya plus Bank of Uganda directed by Matt Bish.
He was the first male to appear in the African Woman Magazine's 'All Lights On' Segment in 2010.
Joel appeared in the promo for Love Makanika , one of the first programmes aired on Pearl Magic that went digital on GOtv beginning Monday 1 October 2018.

Radio

Okuyo has lent his talent as a supporting voice to radio productions like Mako Meere directed by Patricia Olwoch and Rock Point by Albert Mwesige. He once worked for Bob FM also.

Theatre

He has acted in theatre performances like Just You Me & the Silence directed by Judith Adong in conjunction with Alfajiri Productions. In 2017, he took part as Lokil in preparing a stage play entitled Strings that will first be performed on 22 November.

Controversial performance

Okuyo received negative criticism, even from friends for acting in The River and the Mountain, a play whose parts Uganda's Media Council ruled "implicitly promote homosexual acts". Written by Oxford-educated poet Beau Hopkins in collaboration with David Cecil, a British producer and the manager of Tilapia, it was deemed contrary to the laws, cultural norms and values of Uganda hence Cecil's arrest on 6 September 2012. In the play, Okuyo plays Samson, a homosexual factory owner killed by his own workers after they are incited by fiercely conservative pastors. Okuyo was accused of "being funded by gay lobby groups", but replied, "I am not into gay advocacy. Although with this play, we do want to make people understand that we are all human. We should not judge, segregate, harm or kill others."

Personal interests

Joel enjoys drawing, fashion, film acting, modelling, meeting new friends, humanitarianism, playing basketball, guitar, swimming, fishing, reading, cooking, writing and travelling. In March 2020, he got engaged to dancehall artiste Cindy Sanyu with whom he had worked on two films November Tear and Bella.

Filmography

; Music videos
Okuyo features in Priscilla Kalibala's "Boo", the original soundtrack to Battle of the Souls plus "Free People" written and performed by Terry De Vos as the original soundtrack to State Research Bureau. He also features in Winnie Nwagi's "Kibulamu" music video as her lover. The singer tells him that their relationship lacks certain romantic things, so they need to go their separate ways. Winnie even packs her bag to leave. In the end, they reconcile but while sitted at a table, two packs of condoms fall from Okuyo's coat and the video fades. He also features in "Ready To Leave" by Abasa. Prynce through his production company has made music videos for artistes like Cindy including "Whine Yo Waist", "Sunset" and "Kiki", etc.
; Films
YearTitleRoleProduction CompanyDirector
2007Battle of the SoulsThe DevilBish FilmsMatt Bish
2008On TimeSupporting actorMaisha Film LabPatricia Olwoch
2009Hearts in PiecesSupporting actorTrends StudiosMariam Ndagire
2010I am SlaveFeaturedAltered ImageGabriel Range
2010ImaniFeaturediVAD ProductionCarolyn Kamya
2010A Good Catholic GirlLeadMatt Bish
2011State Research Bureau JamesBish FilmsMatt Bish
2013Imbabazi LeadKarekezi FilmsJoel Karekezi
2013Wekeza InalipaFeaturedJasons ProductionBaba Hadji
2014SitukaSupporting actorFun FactoryKwezi Kaganda
2014In RealityDoctorDouglas Benda Kasule
2015King of DarknessLead: Detective LewisMachine Gun Preacher Productions
2015The Black BelgianSupporting actorJean Luc Habyarimana
2016JinxedSupporting actorKampala Film School, Maisha Film LabGary Mugisha
2016New IntentionsSupporting actorKihiray PicturesKihire Kennedy
2016Mr. AbilityDOPPrynce PicturesJoel Okuyo Atiku
2016RainDJ DaddyDaniel Mugerwa
2017Black and WhiteLeadStone Age Productions
2017'Kony, Omona, 1st ADT. Steve Ayeny
2017BellaSupporting actor, DOPBish FilmsMatt Bish
2017KyenvuSupporting actorKemiyondo Coutinho
2017The Bad MexicanMosesLoukman Ali
2018The Mercy of the JungleImbabazi ProductionsJoel Karekezi
2019November TearNARichard Nondo
2019SplashPrynce PicturesJoel Okuyo Atiku

; Television
YearTitleRoleBroadcasterDirector
2008Locked Up AbroadSupporting actorNational GeographicPaul Berczeller
2009Lost in AfricaSupporting actorKuperman TVYuval Shefferman
2012Raised WildFeaturedDiscovery WorldAdrian McFarlane
2013KonaGuestMultichoiceWanjiru Kairu, Natasha Likimani, Damaris Irungu
2017Reflections LeadSavannah MoonNana Kagga
2017Brothers Lead: Keith, Producer, DOPJephine Films
2017Taste of Times, Season 2Executive Producer, DOPJephine Films