Richard Lukunku is doing it all these days: movies, TV and commercials. Now he will be waltzing his way onto the set of Isidingo for a small role, writes Debashine Thangevelo
EVERY actor desires to be in demand; that means a constant flow of work. And Richard Lukunku is being kept very busy these days, which is indicative of his acting prowess.
The lanky 29-year-old Congolese actor seems to be doing it all. He is making a dent in the movie sector, with a few movies scheduled for release early next year. He has also become popular in the home-grown telenovela realm (iNkaba, The Road and Ashes to Ashes); the international pirate drama series, Black Sails, and has been popping up quite often in TV commercials.
He is currently on the Isidingo set, filming scenes for a rather dramatic story arc.
He plays Jean-Marc, a doctor from Cameroon specialising in epidemiology. He is brought to Horizon Deep by the Sibeko Gold Foundation after the threat of a TB outbreak.
And his fluency in French, among Swahili, Afrikaans, Tswana, Zulu and, of course, English, comes in handy with this role.
He says: “Jean-Marc is from Cameroon. When he can’t express himself in English, he does so in French.”
However, there is also a romantic twist to the tale. He is Angelique’s (played by Shannon Esra) new boyfriend.
Lukunku shares, “I think what they are trying to do with the character, because she was this sort of superwoman, is soften her up with this super guy.”
Expanding on Jean-Marc’s backstory, he offers: “He is a good guy with good intentions. Sometimes he gets ahead of himself. There was a tragic incident in his past that led him on this path. He comes from an influential family, but is really not about the money. He belongs to the Doctor’s Without Borders group. In a way, he uses it as penance for his past.”
Shedding light on his Black Sails project, where he has been cast as Joshua for the first two instalments, the actor admits: “It was an amazing experience – getting to work with such amazing directors, some of whom have worked on Homeland and Game of Thrones. Working with Toby Stephens, who always tried to include me as much as possible in our scenes, was so fantastic. And in being exposed to a project of this magnitude, it has opened my eyes to my dreams… and I want more.”
He went on to praise the calibre of the talent we have on our shores, from production to design.
Lukunku also has fond memories of Hakeem Kae-Kazim and the kindness he showed him on set.
Now for more good news: he is reprising his role as Stitch in e.tv’s first telenovela, Ashes to Ashes. The series, which often trended on Twitter, has been given an extended run with a new season.
He comments: “Ashes to Ashes was a bit of a risk for e.tv. But it reaped the rewards for the channel. It is only right that they bring it back. We are going to own that 8pm slot again.”
That confidence will also be manifested in his character for the new season. Especially with him trying to win over Reba.
“Stitch is still in love with Reba. He is going to have to do a lot of growing up, though. He needs to step up and get out of the friend zone.”
Recently seen in Thina Sobabili, which is South Africa’s Best Foreign Film submission for the Oscars, he also has Happiness is a Four-Letter Word releasing next year. He is also doing Making a Killing, which is directed by Justin Head.
Most thankful for the stream of big breaks, he says his character will be crucial to solving the TB epidemic at Horizon Deep.
With so many projects on the go, Lukunku certainly remedies any boredom that threatens to settle in with a melange of well-etched and eccentric characters.
Lukunku makes his Isidingo debut next Monday. Catch the SABC3 soap at 7pm on weekdays.