Movies & TV
#BNMeetTheStar: Obi Maduegbuna Talks Working With Dr SID & His Character Demi in “The Order Of Things”
Featuring an all-star ensemble comprising Obi Maduegbuna, Timini Egbuson, Temitope Olowoniyan, Binta Mogaji, Di’ja, Dorathy Bachor, and Lilian Afegbai, Dr SID‘s directorial debut “The Order Of Things” centres around Demi (played by Obi Maduegbuna), a nerd looking for love in Lagos. His brother Tunde (Timini Egbuson) has a defined age for every milestone event in his life. Now 30 and ready to marry, his mother fiercely disagrees until his socially awkward older brother Demi gets married first. Demi has always been first in everything, she adds. Demi decides to find a wife so he won’t get in Tunde’s way.
But what calibre of women will Demi find on his marital quest? How far would he go for love?
For #BNMeetTheStar’s June story, I sat down (figuratively) with Obi Maduegbuna to talk about his acting career and what it was like on the set of “The Order Of Things.”
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First things first, Let’s talk about you. Who is Obi Maduegbuna?
Obi Maduegbuna is a classically trained actor, VO artist, and producer who hails from Anambra State.
Your acting career, how did it start?
I’ve always been interested in films from an early age. When I was a teenager, I used to write my own short stories and novellas. Whenever I watched films, I would get inspired to write. I often wondered how films were made. I would stay up late at night watching all the behind-the-scenes footage of my favourite films. Around the end of my secondary school, I decided I wanted to be a part of the film industry, and so my journey into acting began when I enrolled in Drama School. First, I did a foundation course at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and then a 3-year degree at East 15 Acting School in the United Kingdom.
What was your process of getting into the character of Demi?
It was a very interesting process. I think the first thing was studying the script and doing a proper character analysis. I had to understand who Demi was, why he made certain decisions in his life and what made him tick. I also had to do a lot of research into the world of video games, understanding all the video game lingo, which is something I wasn’t familiar with. Oh, and make me enjoy drinking orange juice.
Your co-stars, Timini Egbuson, Binta Ayo Mogaji, Tope Olowoniyan. How was it like working with them?
They were all great to work with for various reasons. I remember being nervous on my first day when I arrived on set. I then went over my script with Timini and there was just something about his energy and working with him that gave me confidence and that’s how I carried on till the end of the shoot. Tope has great vibes. We got on very well right from when we met, except when she was always trying to tickle me on set (Yes, I can be ticklish and she found out my weakness lool).
As for Auntie Binta, It was very easy. It felt like she was my real mum. I enjoyed the stories she would tell me on set. I learned so much from working with her as a person and a thespian.
Working with Dr SID?
It’s very rare when you find a director like Dr. Sid. When I first heard he was directing the film, there was an element of doubt in me. I won’t lie, I knew him as an artist first, but when I sat down with him and he shared his vision of the film with me, then I finally got him. He let me do my thing on set and always gave me good notes. He would go through scenes with me thoroughly before we shot them. He is a great director, and I hope this is just the beginning of our relationship.
Who are some of the actors that you’ve worked with that have had a profound influence on you?
There are so many. I remember working with Chioma Omeruah some years ago, and we were doing improv for a scene. Just watching her work was amazing. Oh, comedy is not easy like that. There is a technique to it. I learned so much working with her.
Demi is such an interesting character. I’m sure there are a couple of things you like about him
I like Demi. He doesn’t like wahala. He just keeps to himself and plays his video games and drinks his orange juice. I think despite his awkwardness, deep down he means well and I can relate to him.
You’ve been featured in various films and series. What has been your favourite role? And Why?
Besides working on “The Order of Things,” I’ve had the most fun working on “Money, Men, & Marriage,” produced by Temidayo Makinjola. That was a great set to be in, and everyone was lovely. I think that was the first time I had worked on a set, shooting scenes featuring my character back to back. I learned a lot on that set. I also enjoyed working on “Otiti”, which is an independent film I shot last year that’s currently showing at the Brazil African Film Festival directed by Ema Edosio. She is another director that I would love to work with in a heartbeat. She challenges me and scares me in a good way to bring out my best on set.
Let’s project into the future. Where will the next 5 years find you?
By God’s grace, I will still be alive and well, following my dreams and acting in great projects both in Nigeria and overseas. I want to go into producing and featuring in projects that I have created. I have things I’m currently working on at the moment that I would love to see come together.
Any fun facts about you that people don’t know about?
Well, I’m a cinephile. I love films and know a lot of random information about them. That’s all I got.
