The TV Zone

We had a nice chat recently, covering the career - and what a career - recent work, and his hope of returning to "24." That's right - Dubaku could come back, insofar as the character was never exactly resolved - taken to hospital, and the Dubaku/ Sengala storyline was quickly forgotten in the fury of the day.

But Hakeem is a very interesting guy - a veteran stage actor and Shakespearean specialist, starring in "King Richard III" with Ian McKellen, and many other roles with the Royal Shakespearean Company, got lead roles on Brit hits like "Trial and Retribution" and "Grange Hill, went to South Africa where he became a well-known star...and then headed to the U.S. The big break (landed when in SA) was the role of Georges Rutaganda – head of the Hutu militia and responsible, partly, for the Rwandan genocide (in real life, in jail.) Don Cheadle was Paul Rutaganda - the hotel manager who housed over thousand Tutsi refugees. That was, of course, "Hotel Rwanda." (Cheadle got a best actor nod.) Yes, Hakeem knew how to play bad guys.

Lot of other roles followed, none major, in movies likes "Pirates of the Caribbean III" and (most recently) "X-Men Origins: Wolverine." Losties also may recall he had a nice if brief role back in the third season of the world's greatest TV show.

What's he been up to recently, since leaving "24?" He just shot a movie called "Darfur” starring David O'Hara, Edward Furlong, Billy Zane, Matt Frewer, Kristianna Loken, about American journalists who report from Sudan, and struggle over whether to report the atrocities they see, or help the victims. What's especially interesting here is that all the actors improvise their lines. "This was complete cold improvisation," said Hakeem. Some serendipity led to "24:" He sold his house in South Africa, "and packed up my family and came here. I was very lucky - did 'Pirates,' 'Law & Order,’ did bits and pieces, on other series, got another film, and then just before leaving for Europe [to star in it] '24' sort of just happened."

He'd worked with one of the show's directors, who reached out, and he was finally cast, just before the writers' strike, which derailed everything but probably helped Hakeem; the entire show re-booted when the strike ended, and a role that was originally supposed to be a one-off was expanded over a number of episodes or hours; Hakeem's Dubaku became the epic bad guy early in the day, or until the next epic bad guy, John Voight's Hodges, stepped in.

"I think what was important for me was to see this guy [Dubaku] as someone who was passionate about what he believed in; he believed passionately in what he was doing towards the good of his country, and that was the basis of his malevolence....By any means necessary: It was the same as Jack. Jack believes there's a right way to get what he wants and Dubaku feels the same way, but approaches it from a slightly darker perspective."

Point is, Dubaku never died, he says, which leaves the way open to make Jack’s day even worse next season.

"24," he adds, "was such a wonderful working atmosphere. It was a great show to be on, and great coming to America and having that as my first show. Without a doubt I would love to play with that character again and see how dark you can go and see how much humanity you can get out of him.”