Uzee Usman, Eyimeyi Afolayan & Lateef Adedimeji Reflect on Set Life & Working with Kunle Afolayan on “Aníkúlápó: Rise of the Spectre”

BellaNaija had an exclusive interview with the key cast members of Netflix’s six-part series “Aníkúlápó: Rise of the Spectre.” Uzee Usman, who plays Prince Kuranga – Ede’s warlord prince and Oyo Kingdom’s foe; Eyiyemi Afolayan, who returns to play Princess Omowumi – the princess between the two men; and Lateef Adedimeji, who plays Bashorun’s son, Awolaran, opened up about life on set, working with the director, Kunle Afolayan, their key takeaways from the project, and more.

The six-part series follows Saro’s return to the Oyo Kingdom with orders to complete a nearly impossible task. The series is a follow-up to the successful 2022 movie, Aníkúlápó, directed and produced by Kunle Afolayan.

What’s your favourite thing about being on this project?

Uzee Usman: My favourite thing about being on this project is being part of something great and being part of something historical.

Lateef Adedimeji: Attention to detail. Knowing this is it, and that is how we are going to get it done, When you know your craft and how to go about it, you will get the most out of it. Attention to detail was my takeaway.

What special thing did you do to make your character look original?

Eyimeyi Afolayan: Portraying the really deep emotions, having to cry, having to scream at the top of my voice, being in my feelings, and being in that frame of mind, and imagining it happening to me like in real life.

What was it like working with the director?

Uzee Usman: It’s everything. It’s every actor’s dream to work with A-listers. A filmmaker like him has paid his dues and has done it back-to-back. He knows what he’s doing, and he goes for the right projects, and any project he lays his hands on is one of the most talked-about projects in Nigeria. He’s somebody I respect a lot, somebody I look up to as a mentor, as a father, as an elder brother. I have known him for close to 10 years now, so I was very happy when he called me on the project.

Eyimeyi Afolayan: He’s my dad. He made it easier for me. I am like, okay, I am on my dad’s set; this is a family business; I have to give it my all, do it properly, and let people know that you were born for this. It’s still a privilege to work with the director because not everybody has that opportunity. I have siblings. Why are they not in this? Why me? Why did he choose me? So yeah, it’s a privilege.

What part of this project resonated deeply with you?

Lateef Adedimeji: The part where we have to make sure we do things the right way. The fact that your father or people you know are doing the wrong thing should not make you want to do the wrong thing as well. You can choose to stand on the right path and try to stop other people from doing what is wrong. Even if they are your elder brother, father, or parent, we must look for a way to correct them. Otherwise, if we keep passing it around like that: your father is bad, he passes it on to you, and you become bad, and then you pass it on to your children, and then what’s left in the country? Everybody will have the wrong set of people. So there must be people who should be able to say no; you’re doing it the wrong way. I am not going to do it that way; I will do it the right way.