Actor, Lateef Adedimeji’s career has been on the rise in the Nigerian entertainment industry. His ability to play diverse roles showcases his versatility. From emotionally charged dramas to light-hearted comedies, Lateef has proven himself capable of delivering performances. In this interview with SEGUN ADEBAYO, he speaks about his journey and how he hopes to stay on top of his game.
How have you been dealing with the ovation that greeted your act in the Jagun Jagun movie?
I have been dealing with it perfectly and I am grateful for all the love and support I receive daily from my fans and those who truly appreciate what we do. The movie, just like others before it, took me on a new ride and I am overwhelmed by the outpour of accolades that keep coming my way for playing the Gbotija role and I am looking forward to what the future brings for me moving forward.
Let’s talk about the role and the broken leg you suffered. Why didn’t you pull out?
I had prepared so much for the movie and was ready to give the role what it takes but then I suffered a broken leg and I cried. I wept so much that my wife had to console me and encouraged me to go for it. The encouragement I got from my wife who kept on saying, Lateef you can’t pull out now, endure, and that’s what I did throughout the production process and today, JagunJagun is breaking records. I would have pulled out but like my wife, Femi Adebayo and the crew showed me immense love while the shoot lasted.
How long were you on set for the movie?
I spent about 40 days on set.
The movie has been doing well and raking in good figures across the continent and beyond. There is a general feeling actors don’t get paid well by producers. How much were you paid for this role?
I don’t want to talk about how much I was paid because no producer can pay you what you truly deserve, especially when you consider the level or work and the number of days spent on location. I put in a lot of work into my job and I don’t expect to be paid less for the job I have done. I am happy that the job is done and the feedback has been so beautiful that I can’t even reply to everybody or pay back the love and support I have been receiving daily from people about the Jagun Jagun project.
How do you feel about the attention Yoruba movie producers are getting now?
I think we deserve the attention and all the rewards that are coming because we have been working and we didn’t just start yesterday. It has been a long time coming for some of us in the movie industry. My concern is just that our producers should not be selfish. They should let the love and proceeds go round the industry to encourage other young producers and actors to grow and expand as well.
Some people believe that Jagun Jagun could be rated as the best of Lateef in the movie industry. Do you believe this is true?
I laugh out loud when I hear people say they have seen the best of someone who is creative and talented. If you look at the movie and what I did, without sounding immodest, I really don’t think anyone could have done it better. The producer insisted I must continue even after breaking my leg, there must have been something he saw that informed his decision to pick me above others. If people are saying this about one movie, they should wait for another four blockbuster movies to come out before the end of the year. No one has seen the best of me. Not even me.
What are your thoughts on the collaborations between the creative industry and Netflix?
It’s good collaboration in the right direction; Nigerian creatives are good story tellers and with a platform like Netflix, it further shows that our contents are going global and the platforms have given opportunities to storytellers to come with great materials and they will give the global push it deserves.
You’re one of the actors who have crisscrossed the indigenous and English movies, how are you able to blend?
What is basic is the discipline, strength and focus you put into the job, and if you look at the Yoruba angle all of the time, the drilling is a very crazy one. Taking that learning process into the other world is actually a very good one, when you get into the other world, you see more discipline. So, putting the two together, it is just right for you to just give it all your best, all of your time. I also don’t see a reason anybody cannot blend. What’s important is that you need to put a lot of energy into what you do and then you need to be very versatile; you don’t need to be a stereotypical type of person. And for me, I make sure nothing passes by me; everything or humans I meet on a daily basis, I make sure that I pick something from you. So, that way, if given any role, I just need to take a flashback to whoever has made that kind of character and throw away Lateef and get into that role.
Yoruba movies seem to be your area of strength; how did it start?
Basically, I think it was where I found myself first. If I had found myself in the English world, it would have been the same. So basically, I do not have a choice but to pick up from where I know a whole lot of people, then eventually grow up into what I am today.
You play humorous roles so well. Is there anything in your growing up that influenced this?
It’s just basically learning; I think I have a bit of it inside of me, and then now, learning from a whole lot of people, watching a whole lot of comedians and all of that. At first, nobody sees me as a comic actor, everybody says I always play a serious role, I play a mumu kind of role’ and all of that. And at a point in time, that emotional role kept coming, then I needed to make people understand the fact that I’ve got this inside of me as well. So, I had to switch at some point and turned down emotional roles and picked up comedy roles so that people can see that part of me too. All is balanced now and you can actually call me on anyone and ask me to fit into it.
Tell us about your new project that has been generating reactions in the industry?
My new project is Lisabi. I have put on other jobs on hold for now to focus on my movie. This is going to be the biggest historical movie anyone has seen before in the movie industry. We will commence shooting in November. So, I want my fans to wait and see what I am bringing to their screens.
Are you partnering with anyone or brand?
As of now, I am not partnering with anyone on this project but I expect some brands who are interested to reach out and let’s talk. But this is my project. I am not partnering with anyone.
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