Tobi Bakre stated, “I drank strong alcohol and went to a graveyard to play a role in “Gangs of Lagos.”
The actor and former Big Brother Naija contestant Tobi Bakre has discussed how he got in shape for his most recent film role.
He admitted that he engaged in a variety of grim activities to suit his role in the fierce crime drama “Gangs of Lagos.”
He claimed that it was his first time acting as the main character and the first time he had truly relinquished control to become that role.
He was mentioned in the most current edition of the audiovisual podcast Menisms.
Tobi stated, “For ‘Gangs of Lagos’, that was challenging because like for the first time… you know as guys now, we build so many walls like you are ready for all the possible sad outcomes in life mentally. Like you don’t know it but… I was now playing the role of a strong guy but then in the same movie, he had moments when he had to be vulnerable. Bro, I had the toughest time. I had to tear my walls down.
“You know those plastic [herbal bitters] drinks na? I drank two within the space of five minutes. I just felt like I drank water because I didn’t feel anything. I was listening to the saddest music. This is the song I always remember from Gangs of Lagos, Celia song by Tiwa Savage. It is a very emotional song. I wasn’t trying to fake it [my role]. I needed to be actually sad, I needed to be there. So, I was putting myself in the scenario of this character.
“I was self-reflecting. There was a graveyard right in front of where we were shooting. So my head was in different places. And eventually, we shot that scene. After we shot it, and they said ‘cut’, everyone stayed quiet. And people in the background were sobbing. It was almost as if for that moment everybody forgot that we were acting and some people were actually tearing up.”
Ex-TV reality star claimed that in order to get into character, he rolled around on the ground and wiped sand on his face.
Yet, he claimed that the character’s vulnerability was his most difficult assignment.
He admitted that after the movie, he found it difficult to get rid of the role for a while.
Tobi stated, “It [the character] leads sometimes like my wife now when I got home initially… Hardly, anger is the last emotion you can get but my fuss became shorter. On the road I’m driving, my fuss is a bit shorter because of this character I’m currently infusing. So, after the whole thing I had to just ease out.”
‘Gangs of Lagos’, produced and directed by Jade Osiberu, is the first African Original for video streaming platform, Amazon Prime.
The movie premiered on April 7, 2023.
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