Nairobi News

He has been in the industry for almost a decade and has been featured in some of the biggest TV shows in Kenya. He has also acted in some films.

But actor Peter Eddy did not have it easy and while growing up after being orphaned at the age of 16. The father of three spoke to Nairobi News.

1. You started acting while in kindergarten, how was that? 

Yes, my first role was Joseph the father of Jesus Christ in Diani in a School called Word of Life. It was fun and I loved it. The journey has been good. There is a time I stopped and then came back to acting again.

2. What tribulations did you get when you started acting professionally?

Back in 2010 when I started going for auditions, we did not have all this technology and we had to walk to the Kenya National Theater or Alliance Francaise and read on the boards where the auditions were. That used to be very hard for me although I went for very many auditions.

3. Why do you say that 2013 was your rebirth?

Between 2010 and 2013 I was in acting then I stopped and got into employment in a digital TV station. At some point, I decided that it was not my passion and quit. Two weeks later, I got my first audition and stared in the TV series Pendo for seven seasons.

4. How can you describe Eddy and why do you say religion is a major influence to the success of your career?

Eddy is a very simple and easy going guy, married and loves his family very much. Religion is very important to me, how I lived my life before was very crazy. For a decade I was in a different world of all the negative things you can think of.

For me religion is something that has always put me down to be a person of integrity and I think that is very important. When you are a person of integrity, you will do well in life. In my career as an actor that comes first. If what I’m doing changes me I will not do it.

5. What were you doing at 21 and if you were to go back, what would you tell that 21-year-old?

At 21, I think I was working in a hotel, but the way my life was it was not a good experience. Being a person from the Coast there is a lot of influence with drugs and all that. I think I would go back and have someone supporting me. I think what I lacked was somebody to support me through the journey when I was growing up as a man. I think I would go back, hold him and advise him to just be himself and not feel judged.

6. You say that you had a crazy life, can you elaborate.

It’s an open book and my family knows all this, so I do not mind sharing. I lost my parents when I was very young and was left with a younger brother who I had to take care of. It was not easy stepping into the role of a father and a big brother. I got into many things, including illegal businesses, and ended up using drugs. I used heroin, cocaine, weed and a lot of alcohol. The last time I put a cigarette in my mouth was in 2010.

7. When did say enough was enough and how did you overcome it?

It was a gradual change, it was not immediate. For heroin and cocaine, I remember there was this day that my brother came home from school and the deals that I was doing I had easy money and here was my brother home because of his school fees hadn’t been paid. It was Sh6,500 and to see that I had over Sh100,000 and spend it all on drugs and alcohol. That was my turning point in the drug world and I decided to rededicate my life to Christ. It has been a long journey ever since and it is still a journey.