Salem actors Melvin Alusa, Illya Frank quit show, cite toxic work environment

Kenyan actor Melvin Alusa has made waves in the entertainment industry after announcing his resignation from Salem, where he played the character of Melchizedek Karani for almost a year.

Alusa took to social media to explain the reasons behind his decision, citing "unacceptable work conditions" as the main behind his departure.

In his post, he spoke about the toxic work environment he had experienced while working on SALEM, highlighting issues such as bad leadership, emotional blackmail, gas-lighting, manipulation, and health hazards.

These challenges, he said, had made it difficult for him to perform his role as an actor and deliver powerful moments to the story.

Actor Melvin Alusa crowned Best Actor in feature film at the Zanzibar International Film Fest (ZIFF) Actor Melvin Alusa crowned Best Actor in feature film at the Zanzibar International Film Fest (ZIFF) Pulse Live Kenya

"I owe it to my beloved fans, the fans of the show and the larger audience in general to let you know the reasons behind my resignation.

"I am dedicated to my craft and have honed and mastered my skills for close to 2 decades. I must, therefore, preserve and protect it jealously," Alusa stated.

Alusa's statement also called attention to the need for production companies to take responsibility for the welfare of their actors and crew members.

He said production companies should create a supportive and safe work environment that fosters creativity and encourages excellence.

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Alusa explained that without this, it is impossible for actors and crew members to perform at their best, which ultimately impacts the quality of the final product.

"I unfortunately couldn't bear the toxic work environment anymore. The bad leadership, emotional blackmail, gas-lighting, manipulation and health hazards, led to an environment that became impossible for me to perform my role as an actor, and to deliver powerful moments to the role and story as a whole. It's at this point that I felt the need to leave with my dignity intact and my head held high," he continued.

Alusa has stated that he wishes his replacement, Charles Ouda, well as he takes over the role of Melchizedek Karani.

The news desk reached out to the show's producer but they were yet to respond by the time of publishing.

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Alusa's resignation comes days after another actor Illya Frank resigned from her role as the main actor Zara.

In her post on March 28, she cited reasons such as unfavourable working conditions.

Actor Illya Frank Pulse Live Kenya

"I want to reiterate that acting is more than just a job for me. It is a way of life, to bring joy and entertainment to audiences, and to explore the many facets of the human experience.

"The industry is notoriously difficult, but it doesn't have to be. If production companies took better care of their cast and crew, we could all deliver better quality work and enjoy our craft even more," she said in a statement.

She joined Salem in August 2022 following the untimely departure of Mumbi Maina. Illya role has now being taken over by Jackie Matubia.