- Ouda was an actor, writer, director, TV host, voice-over artist and singer who began his career in 2002.
- He had credits across the world, with the first play he ever did, that which brought him to his profession being Lwanda: Man of Stone.
Image: HANDOUT
On Sunday, the family of Charles 'Charlie' J. Ouda announced his death at 38 years old.
"Dear friends and family, it is with great sadness that we share the passing of Charles 'Charlie' J.Ouda on the night of February 3, 2024," a statement by the family read.
But who exactly was he and what are his achievements?
Ouda was an actor, writer, director, TV host, voice-over artist and singer who began his career in 2002.
He had credits across the world, with the first play(Lwanda: Man Stone) which ushered him into the silver screen.
Over the years, he performed in 15 plays and seven musicals including Boy Gets Girl where he played Tony, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (playing Joseph), Balm in Gilead (playing Fick) and Andrew Lippa's Wild Party (playing Mr. Black).
He also played in The Iron Heel as Ernest Everhard and Out of Africa: Journey Through Magical Kenya.
He took part in shows including Makutano Junction where he starred in over 12 seasons and wrote numerous episodes for the show.
In 2010, one of the episodes was awarded the World Media Award for Education.
He also has credits in Better Days, Discovery +254, MAD, Sienna's Choice (Dr. Salvatore), Count It Out (The Man) and The First Grader.
Discovery +254 won a Kalasha International Award for Best Television Host, where Ouda co-hosted with Sarah Hassan.
Ouda starred in other television shows like The Know Zone Changing Times [KTN], Higher Learning, Changes, Mali [NTV], Second Family (Pepeta), Crime and Justice [Showmax] as Kenneth Mumbi and Salem [Maisha Magic] as Mel.
At one point, he was a coach at the Tusker Project Fame.
He directed shows in Who Are You? (2016 Asian American Film Lab's 72-Hour Shoot Out Judges Choice).
The film won him the award for Best Director at the Film Lab Awards.
He also directed Waiting Room, which he also wrote.
Ouda attended a two-year conservatory programme at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York.
There, he worked with personalities including Mauricio Bustamante (Little Men) and Paul Calderon (Pulp Fiction, Boardwalk Empire).
Over his career spanning over two decades, Ouda worked with talents including Mkamzee Mwatela, June Gachui, Maqbul Mohamed, Lydia Gitachu, Siyalio, Amileena, Silas Miami, Nick Ndeda, Raymond Ofula, Nick Mutuma, Alison Ngibuini and Patricia Kihoro just to name a few.
In overall, he starred in eight plays as a lead character, directed two shows and hosted two cabarets.
In September 2023, he and his fiancée former BBC presenter Ciru Muruiki, announced their engagement.