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Watch William Benson Talk About Becoming Efemini in To Kill A Monkey with BellaNaija
William Benson speaks to BellaNaija about his transformative role as Efemini in To Kill A Monkey and what the story reveals about identity, masculinity, and survival.
When Kemi Adetiba took to Instagram in early 2023 to say she hadn’t found the “magic” for the role of Efemini Edewor in “To Kill A Monkey,” the search felt urgent. “We’ve had reads from accomplished actors… Still, no one sparks for this character,” she wrote. Two years later, that spark came blazing through, and it looked like William Benson.
William, the Nigerian actor, playwright and filmmaker whose career stretches over three decades, is no stranger to transformation. He’s worked his way up from stage plays and radio dramas in the early ’90s to becoming one of Nollywood’s most seasoned performers. But stepping into the shoes of Efemini Edewor for the hit Netflix series “To Kill A Monkey” felt different, personal, even.
In this exclusive conversation with BellaNaija, William opens up about his journey: growing up, playing Fela Anikulapo in a school play, hustling to get through university, and how all those experiences shaped the man and the actor, he is today.
He shares his thoughts on the power of collaboration in Nollywood and what the future holds for him. He also gives a shoutout to Kemi Adetiba, Oscar Heman–Ackah and Remi Adetiba.
Watch below
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