Joel Okuyo Atiku Prynce is a Ugandan actor,[1] model, photographer and lecturer at Uganda Christian University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Social Work and Social Administration (BSWSA) 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 (2008) and 2009's Best Actor in Supporting Role at the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) in Lagos, Nigeria. Other awards include Best Actor at both Ubuntu Village, Colorado (USA) in 2010 and the 2011 Zanzibar International Film Festival [ZIFF] in Tanzania. Ugandan newspaper The Observer labelled Okuyo Africa's Brad Pitt.

Okuyo Joel Atiku Prynce
Prynce (right) and Agnes Kebirungi (left) from Battle of the Souls with Olu Jacobs (centre) in Nigeria
Born
Joel Okuyo Atiku Prynce

(1983-12-04) 4 December 1983 (age 41)
Arua, Uganda
Alma materMakerere University
Occupation(s)Actor, model, photographer and lecturer
PartnerCindy Sanyu

Career

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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 (Music & Instrumental Training Group), 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 (Full name: Matthew Bishanga). Joel played roles in feature films like State Research Bureau (S.R.B.)[2] plus TV Series like Locked Up Abroad, Raised Wild[3] 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 (2008) directed by Patricia Olwoch, Looserpool, Live Joseph and Estranged (where he played a lead role) 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 (which was included in Africa First: Volume Two, an anthology of five short films from new African filmmakers).

He was the face of BlackBerry Curve (MTN Uganda) 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 (Verona, Italy) 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 (Congo Brazzaville) directed by Steve Jean; Warid (Uganda), 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 (TV series), one of the first programmes aired on Pearl Magic that went digital on GOtv beginning Monday 1 October 2018.

Radio

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

Theatre

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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

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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".[4] Written by Oxford-educated poet Beau Hopkins in collaboration with David Cecil, a British producer and the manager of Tilapia (Cultural Centre where the play ran for a week until 23 August 2012), 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

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Joel enjoys drawing (Art), 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.[5][6]

Filmography

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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 sitting 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
Year Title Role Production Company Director
2007 Battle of the Souls The Devil Bish Films Matt Bish
2008 On Time Otim Maisha Film Lab Patricia Olwoch
2009 Hearts in Pieces Supporting actor Trends Studios Mariam Ndagire
2010 I am Slave Shopkeeper Altered Image Gabriel Range
2010 Imani Featured iVAD Production Carolyn Kamya
2010 A Good Catholic Girl Lead Matt Bish
2011 State Research Bureau (Prisoner) James Bish Films Matt Bish
2013 Imbabazi (The Pardon) Manzi Karekezi Films Joel Karekezi
2013 Wekeza Inalipa Featured Jasons Production Baba Hadji
2014 Situka Alvin Fun Factory Kwezi Kaganda
2014 In Reality Doctor Wristhouse Douglas Benda Kasule
2015 King of Darkness Lead: Detective Lewis Machine Gun Preacher Productions
2015 The Black Belgian Supporting actor Jean Luc Habyarimana
2016 Jinxed Supporting actor Kampala Film School, Maisha Film Lab Gary Mugisha
2016 New Intentions Counsel Douglas Kihiray Pictures Kihire Kennedy
2016 Mr. Ability DOP Prynce Pictures Joel Okuyo Atiku
2016 Rain DJ Daddy Daniel Mugerwa
2016 Queen of Katwe Ggaba Merchant Walt Disney Pictures, ESPN Films Mira Nair
2017 Black and White Lead Stone Age Productions
2017 Kony: Order from Above Kony, Omona, first AD Atonga Media/Entertainment & Quad-A Records T. Steve Ayeny
2017 Bella Supporting actor, DOP Bish Films Matt Bish
2017 Kyenvu MAN Kemiyondo Coutinho
2017 The Bad Mexican Moses Loukout Films Loukman Ali
2018 The Mercy of the Jungle Kibindankoyi Imbabazi Productions Joel Karekezi
2019 November Tear Mwene Jephin/ Prynce Pictures Richard Nondo
2019 Splash Prynce Pictures Joel Okuyo Atiku
2022 Pieces of Me Naava's father Savannah Moon/ Maisha Magic Movies Nicholas Nsubuga
2022 The Test Tito Limit Production Richard Mulindwa
2022 Love is Blind (short film)
Television
Year Title Role Broadcaster Director
2008 Locked Up Abroad Supporting actor National Geographic Paul Berczeller
2009 Lost in Africa Supporting actor Kuperman TV Yuval Shefferman
2012 Raised Wild Featured Discovery World Adrian McFarlane
2013 Kona Guest Multichoice Wanjiru Kairu, Natasha Likimani, Damaris Irungu
2017 Reflections (series) Lead Savannah Moon Nana Kagga
2017 Brothers (series) Lead: Keith, Producer, DOP Jephin Films
2017 Taste of Times, Season 2 Executive Producer, DOP Jephin Films
2021 Okalyadda Top TV (Premiered 1 March 2021)
2021 What If (TV Series) William NTV (Premiered 1 August 2024) Richard Mulindwa

References

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  1. ^ "Facebook Page". Facebook. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  2. ^ State Research Bureau Wins Big At Uganda Film Festival (New Vision)
  3. ^ "Raised Wild". Archived from the original on 19 June 2017. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  4. ^ "Artikelen (by Mark Schenkel)". Archived from the original on 9 August 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  5. ^ Ninsiima, Audrey. "Meet Joel Okuyo, The Charming Man That Proposed To Singer Cindy". The Tower Post. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  6. ^ Nabanja, Rashim. "Singer Cindy gets engaged to movie star Joel Atiku". My Wedding. Archived from the original on 17 October 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
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