JIM IYK IN NAIROBI CRIME THRILLER,

Nollywood’s favorite
playboy, Jim Iyke has landed
a role in a new Kenyan crime
thriller titled “My Life In
Crime”. Jim Iyke will be playing the
lead role of Jack Zolo, a
criminal. The movie is an adaptation of
three novels written by
famous Kenyan author John
Kiriamiti based on ‘his life as
a real gangster’. He wrote three books titled
“My Life In Crime”, “My Life
With A Criminal” and ”My Life
In Prison”. Jim Iyke co-stars will be a
studded Kenyan cast,
including Ainea Ojiambo,
Janet Kirina, Abubakar
Mwenda, Melvin Alusa, Jeff
Koinange, Lenana Kariba and Eddy Kimani. The movie will be produced
by Kirina Productions and
Cthrough productions. The movie’s producer Niel
Schell confessed that it took
two years to come up with
the complete script. The
movie will begin production
in September. Schell defended his choice of
Nigerian lead actor saying,
‘This makes it easy to sell it
to the wider African market
and beyond.’ He added, ‘I meet Jim Iyke in
Uganda at a film festival and i
told him about a script I have
that is interesting. And
within hours of getting the
script he called me back and said he loved Jack Zolo. Jim
will get the movie out to as
many people as possible and
the Kenyan actors will get
wider recognition.’ Jim Iyke who is currently
shooting his reality show
titled Jim Iyke Unscripted
said at the briefing in
Nairobi, ‘I was in Uganda to
do some pro bono work. Everybody knew who I was
except for Niel. When he gave
me the script I was excited
about the role. He asked me
to audition and put it on tape
and send it but I flew myself in and auditioned for the
role.’ The Nigerian actor says he
wouldn’t have a problem
portraying the lead character,
saying ‘I’m ready to give
every stretch and attention
needed to play the role. I can assure you that I’m fully
aware of what I have to do.
(People should focus) on
what I can do. The big deal
should be realizing what I
have after shooting the movie.’ Meanwhile the book’s author,
Kiriamiti has advised Jim to
‘stop talking like an
American’ and ‘learn how to
talk like me to be able to play
the role well’, adding, ‘Whoever has read
the book has told me they
read it thrice or four times
and as you know in the book
I wasn’t acting I was doing it
for real. I hope that translates also in the movie.’ He continued, ‘Having my
book adapted into a movie is
something I did not expect.
This feels good…