Filmmaker Mo Abudu has hailed Omowunmi Dada’s performance in the late Biyi Bandele’s Elesin Oba: The King Horsemen ahead of the Netflix premiere on November 4.
An adaptation of Wole Soyinka’s play, Elesin Oba was set in the 1940s, on a real incident that took place in Nigeria during the colonial era. The horseman of a Yoruba king was prevented from committing ritual suicide by the colonial authorities.
Omowunmi who played the Elesin Oba’s bride in the screen adaption of the play did not utter a word throughout the film.
Speaking on her character in an Instagram post on Wednesday, Mo Abudu hailed the actress for her performance.
She wrote: “Our beautiful bride @omowunmi_dada. Awesome performance my darling, you did it all without speaking. This was exactly as it was originally written by Professor Wole Soyinka. So proud of your performance.”
In a recent interview with Premium Times, Omowunmi also talked about her character and how challenging it was working with the veteran cast in the film.
“My character in the film doesn’t say anything from beginning to end. It’s harder to give the correct expression and to provide the right nuance without saying a word.
“The fact that I didn’t get to say anything throughout the film, knowing that my character is a catalyst to many happenstances, was quite challenging because if you are not present, you will miss out. It was a bit challenging doing that alongside many actors and veterans I have high respect for,” she said.
The AMVCA winner also noted that the bride is a symbol of sensuality, excitement and lust, especially for the horseman, who though bound by tradition to leave earth for the land of his ancestors, is distracted by his sensual desires and, consequently, brings doom on his people.
The movie also stars Odunlade Adekola, Deyemi Okanlawon, Jide Kosoko, Shaffy Bello with special guest appearances by Joke Silva and Taiwo Ajai-Lycett.
