Acting has always been my passion - Aber

My name is Aber Nicholetta Leonarda. I have just finished university, and I am awaiting graduation in January. I studied for a bachelor’s degree in human resource management at Makerere University Business School. I am passionate about acting.

Why have you chosen to take the acting career path and not human resources?

All I can say is that in life, we have to try to be very diverse because we can never anticipate what it will be like. But all I can say is that I have always been passionate about acting, right from the time I was young in school. I acted in drama plays and theatre dances. I have had the passion since way back. I played an extra role in Kyaddala season two. That is when a director called Usama recommended me to Doreen Mirembe and asked if I could do some in Damalie. I was called for the auditions, and that is how I ended up in Damalie. I can still pursue my human resources career, but that doesn’t mean it will limit me from pursuing acting.

While doing acting in school, did you ever see yourself as an actor in the future, or were you doing it for fun?

Honestly, I will not lie. I saw myself not necessarily in the film industry, but I saw myself getting there. Like starring somewhere, maybe presenting on TV, or hosting a particular show. I knew I would be somewhere.

Did you know about the challenges in the industry, such as poor pay or the scarcity of acting opportunities, before making the decision that that would be a career path you would take?

Partly, I knew. In every industry, there will always be hurdles and challenges, but for me, acting was just passionate.

Drucilla (middle), Charles (right) and Damalie (left) Pulse Live Uganda

What kind of environment did you grow up in, and how has it influenced your choices in life?

I have grown up in a family of priests. Father John Scalabrini took care of me. I grew up in his hands, and I learned so many things from him. He taught us how to be diverse. We were staying with whites, and they would teach us a lot of things, including dancing, cooking, and singing. Through that entire journey, I have learned so much. We grew up with different people from different backgrounds. It was more like an orphanage. I learned how to cope with different characters and differences. This has helped me a lot because, in the film industry, you meet so many people. The environment I grew up in taught me how to be humble and to know where I am from. The course I took at the university also taught me how to deal with people.

Does this mean you didn’t grow up with your parents?

Well, my mom was around. During the period when Father Scalabrini came into Uganda, there were a lot of wars, mostly in northern Uganda. He wanted to come in and help children who had been affected by the war. As a result, he got to meet my grandmother. Because of the friendship they had, Father promised that he would take care of her children and grandchildren. I have not grown up with my dad; I don’t know where he is. I was very much loved by Father Scalabrini.

How do you find your role in Damalie?

I find the role of Drucilla very challenging. First, it involves a lot of emotions, and you have to work with them all. So you find that in this scene you have to be happy, and in the next one you have to be happy. So it is challenging, but I love it that way because it is helping me grow.

Have you experienced or witnessed the kind of things happening in Damalie in real life?

All I know is that whatever is happening in Damalie has happened in real life. In my honest opinion, I have seen people who go abroad and work so hard and send money for things like the construction of houses, but it’s not used for the intended purpose. They come back home to nothing and intense fights with the people they sent money to.

Drucilla and Noah Pulse Live Uganda

What other role in Damalie do you think you can execute very well besides Drucllia?

I think I would pull off Sonia, the ex-noble in Kifumbira. I think I can pull off that, but I am also not that fluent in Luganda. I think Drucilla was the best role for me, though.

What was it like to act for the very first time?

For Kyaddala, it was not a good experience because it was not a big role; you are not well taken care of yet they need you. I felt so small, partly because of the egos of some of the cast members who were in big roles. Either way, I knew that was something I wanted. While at it, I knew that I had to bring on my best because I knew someone was watching.

How has your first experience in Kyaddala helped you in Damalie?

It was helpful in a way that in Kayaddala there were so many people. The crew was really big. I networked a lot with people and made friends. I learned a lot. When I came to Damalie, it made me feel like it was normal, given that I had been there before. It taught me to always remain humble because you never know who is watching.

Damalie and Drucilla Pulse Live Uganda

What are some of the challenges you would say you have faced so far?

My biggest challenge so far has been managing public image. There are some things I can’t do now because I know people are watching. The other thing is that it’s not easy to keep a secret you are excited about. Say you know what is next about the drama and would want to share it, but then you have to keep it a secret.

Which actors were you looking up to while growing up?

I wasn’t so much into watching Ugandan content as a child. I really love Zizinga. I love him because he makes you feel like every day is a fun day. I only started looking up to people at a later stage. I would say I love how Eleanor Nabwiso and Doreen Mirembe do their thing. On the international scene: Mercy Martin

What would you tell a person out there who would want to join acting?

So many people have come to my inbox saying they want to join Damalie. All I can tell them is to contemplate more about what they want.

Where do you want to be in 5–10 years?

I want to see myself acting in South African countries. I want to see myself winning awards and maybe getting roles in Hollywood movies. I want to work with as many industry people as possible so that I can learn from all of them.