Actress Mo Bimpe has shared how she unexpectedly ended up playing Ikeoluwa, a lead character in the Lisabi franchise after a last-minute casting change.
In an Instagram post on Tuesday, the 27-year-old revealed she wasn’t initially meant to play the role.
According to her, another actress had been cast, but unforeseen circumstances made the actress unavailable just a day before filming began.
“From the very beginning of casting, we had selected someone else for the role—one of my favorite actresses, actually. I had no idea I would take it up until the last minute,” Mo Bimpe wrote.
Recalling the situation, she said she had been focused on supporting the cast as the producer, cheering them on during training sessions.
However, when the original actress dropped out, director Niyi Akinmolayan and her husband, Lateef Adedimeji, who also produced the film, encouraged her to step in.
“I was reluctant,” she admitted.
“How would I meet up with the training they had been doing for weeks? How will I learn the Egba dialect? I started looking for another actress, but time was too short to find someone suitable. My husband and the director insisted I take the role, reminding me of my talent and dedication.”
Mo Bimpe eventually accepted the challenge, despite sleepless nights and intense preparation.
She credited her team for their unwavering support, including her husband, director Niyi Akinmolayan, and cast members like Jide Awobona and Ibrahim Yekini (Itele).
In the film, her character, Ikeoluwa, is a businesswoman who joins forces with Lisabi, a farmer and warrior, to lead the Egba people to victory.
The movie, Lisabi: A Legend Is Born, premiered in Lagos on January 9, 2025, and was released on Netflix.
It serves as a sequel to Lisabi: The Uprising, building on the original’s storyline.
Directed by Niyi Akinmolayan and written by Yinka Olaoye, the sequel boasts a star-studded cast, including Lateef Adedimeji, Deyemi Okanlawon, Odunlade Adekola, Gabriel Afolayan, Eniola Ajao, and Juliana Olayode.
Produced by Al Notions Studios in collaboration with Anthill Studios, the movie has been lauded for its compelling narrative and performances.
