Melvin Alusa is an Emmy-nominated Kenyan actor and a well-known figure in the regional film industry. He is also the elder brother of the award-winning musician Bien-Aime Baraza of Sauti Sol.
While Alusa is now considered a legend in his field, his entry into the world of acting was entirely accidental.
An Unexpected Audition
Speaking on Kiss 100 FM with hosts Cyd Wambui and Jeremy Wahome, Alusa shared the story of how he started his career. He admitted that he did not initially set out to study film or pursue acting as a profession. Instead, he was motivated by a personal interest.
“For me actually, I pumped into film, I was chasing a girl and then eventually, you know, I bumped into it. I always knew I could act, but I didn’t know I could like act per se,” Alusa revealed.
He explained that while he knew he could act to get out of trouble as a child, he did not see it as a career choice. A friend eventually invited him to an audition for a musical because Alusa could sing.
“This guy invites me for an audition pale All Saints Cathedral. But my intention was to get her,” Alusa said, referring to the girl he was pursuing. The romantic pursuit led to a professional breakthrough.
“I went into the auditions and I got an acting part together with Johnson Mwakazi. That was back in 2005,” he added. This moment transitioned him into the world of professional performance.
The Reality of Solo Parenting
Away from the cameras, Alusa’s life involves a significant personal responsibility. He confirmed in the show that he is a single father of eight children.
“I have 8 children, 2 sets of twins and 4 single births. My first son lives in the US. So, I am actively raising 7,” he revealed while talking about his reality family show, House of Alusa.
In a previous interview on the Netwalking podcast, he provided background on how he began raising his children alone. He explained that his marriage ended when his children were still very young.
“When the marriage unfortunately went to where it went, my youngest twins had just turned one year,” Alusa said. At that time, his next set of twins were three years old, while his other children were aged seven, nine, and ten.
The logistics of managing such a large household are demanding.Alusa described the effortrequired for basic hygiene for seven children.
“Hizo ni vidole 10 za mikono na vidole 10 za miguu na watoto ni 7. Hapo ninakuwa nadeal na vidole 140,” he shared.
Even now, with four children remaining at home, he deals with 80 fingers and toes during grooming sessions. He dedicates entire weekends to taking his sons to the barber and his daughters to the salon.
