Isaya Evans (Face of Safaricom Sevens)

ISAYA EVANS BECOMES THE FACE OF SAFARICOM SEVENS

Isaya Evans has landed himself a great role in advertising, becoming the face of Kenya’s Safaricom Rugby 7s tournament. This appointment comes off the back of signs that Kenya’s film and television industry is really beginning to stand on its own two feet, providing gainful and productive employment for the nation’s actors and actresses. See ‘Kenya’s growing film industry is now capable of standing on its own’.

Evans can now brag of being credited in at least two out of every five ‘hot’ productions being undertaken in the country by different production houses and he reveals that his role as Patrick, the sleazy guy in Lies That Bind (KTN), was actually his first role in a TV production.

You have definitely seen his face in the Safaricom Sevens Ad’s which he first graced last year and amazingly this year’s as well and it would be safe to say that the talented actor is geared to become the face of the Safaricom Sevens tournament.

‘’I love rugby and featuring in the Safaricom Sevens Ads is being part of the game for me, it’s not just a job’’ he says.

He made his debut appearance in a TV commercial in 2012 for a finance institution and has since then done several others including one for KPLC.

Isaya calls himself a YouTube graduate and reveals that just like Yego, the YouTube athlete – see ‘Kenya’s self-taught Javelin thrower wins gold at 2014 Commonwealth Games‘, he takes so many acting classes online so that he can enhance his skills. Ironically, he holds a degree in Bachelor of Science from Egerton University but maintains that his passion lies in acting.

He recalls that back in pre-school he was cast as a prop (door) together with a classmate in a scene in the school’s play where there was a wedding.

‘’The most ideal role was that of the ‘bwana harusi/groom’ which everyone envied and I remember wishing I had been cast for the role instead of the door, so after that I said to myself that I will ensure that I get the best role in future plays,’’

Professionally, he reveals that he never knew he could act let alone do a commercial and it took the effort of his talent manager, Lowry Denzel Odhiambo (Lowry’s Casting Agency) to expose him to the industry.

‘’He told me to go to the gym, groom myself and ensure that I look like I can sell something’, Isaya says.

‘’As for acting Ainea Ojiambo has been my coach and Muiru Wa Karuri my greatest critic… I wouldn’t be this far without their counsel.’’

Even from the way he speaks about the industry, Isaya is without a doubt passionate about what he does. He has been featured in TV series like, Sumu La Penzi (MNET), My Spouse and I among others and even with such an impressive resume, he believes that he is just getting started.

Isaya advises upcoming actors to ‘’read widely so that they can easily acquire what others have labored for years’’ and proudly maintains that nowadays he doesn’t go for an audition to try for a role, he goes to get it. He is quick to add that it’s not bragging.