Abubakar Salim is still dealing with the fact that his life right now is a fantasy come true.
“That really is when it sunk in.
Like, ‘Oh, wow!
‘House of the Dragon’ actor Abubakar Salim voices Zhao in the new ‘Tales of Kenzera’ video game.Dave Benett/Getty; EA Originals/ Surgent Studios
I’m on an HBOHouse of the Dragonshow.’
They’re not pulling any punches here.”
Martin’s Westeros, Salim can also call himself a world-builder.
‘Tales of Kenzera’.EA Originals/ Surgent Studios
“I remember them being like, ‘Maybe we should start small,'” Salim continues.
His grandfather was a Nganga, which influenced the character of Zau.
But the real core of the game connects to a personal loss in Salim’s life.
He died from the condition in 2013.
“It really changed me, man.
It was something that I just needed to express in some way, shape, or form.”
Kalunga, especially, is not like the traditional Western depictions of Death.
“But within Congolese myth, there is almost a vulnerability to Kalunga and how he’s depicted.
EA Originals/ Surgent Studios
Tales of Kenzera: Zaufeels like a jumping off point for Salim.
“I want to be like Kevin Feige,” Salim says of the head of Marvel Studios.
“How can I pair this with other writers and other creators to flesh out this world?
Kenzera is the franchise; Zau is literally just the entry point.
I think that’s how I’ve always seen it.”
Of course, he’s also expanding his acting career.
He’s wary of talking about hisHouse of the Dragoncharacter.
I’m really enjoying that.”
