5 Nollywood actors who underwent dramatic transformations for a role

You realises that it’s a lot more than standing in front of the camera and talking as they often put their bodies and health on the line to deliver powerful perfomances.

Pulse takes a look at five actors and actresses who went through major body transformations to play a movie character:

RMD plays the role in upcoming Netflix crime thriller The Black Book. The trailer released August 25, 2023, gives us a preview into RMD’s role as a father out to avenge the death of his son.

He had to go through rigorous training and a structured diet several months before the production in order to shed his weight, which was 120kg at the time. He also had to undergo military training by an active US Marine to learn gun handling and movements.

RMD also sustained some burns three days into the production after accidentally pouring boiling water on himself. Apparently, he had deprived himself of certain privileges in order to remain in character with that of a father who would cook for his son.

He narrated the ordeal online writing, “I did not have to make myself coffee that morning… So, I was staying in character and being self-sufficient. I do not exactly remember the sequence of events but what I remember is hot, scalding water pouring on both my thighs and knew, seeing my skin move as I rubbed it in panic”.

We can’t wait to see the results of RMD’s hard work when The Black Book hits Netflix on September 22, 2023.

Tones played the role of young Eniola in Kemi Adetiba’s King Of Boys (2018). Before production, she was nowhere close to looking like Sola Sobowale, who plays the older Eniola.

She had to gain 40 pounds and strain her voice box in order to give the viewers a feel of what a younger version of Sobowale would be. In an exclusive with Pulse, she revealed, “The voice. The voice was a big one for me. I actually injured my voice box to be honest. I did a little bit of damage to it. It definitely wasn’t the safest decision. But making those decisions, putting on the weight, cracking the voice trying to imitate Aunty Sola’s husky voice and studying her mannerisms turned out to be rewarding”.

Earlier this year, Mokeme played the role of Scar in Netflix original Shanty Town. Playing a crime boss required a lot of work from getting into shape without looking too bulky to going days without bathing or brushing, staying alone, maintaining the Scar voice and persona for months.

He shared details of his preparation for the role in an interview with Pulse, revealing how he had to disguise himself on a trip to Shitta in Lagos to get a feel of ghetto music.

He also revealed that he had to smoke three packs of cigarettes and not brush for several days before the production of the movie. He also had to listen to a lot of fuji Nigerian music in other to get into character.

Otanwa played the role of Maria a young mother battling postpartum depression in the movie For Maria: Ebun Pataki (2020).

Playing the role of a mother who just recently gave birth isn’t an easy feat for someone who wasn’t pregnant during that period. She had to put on weight in order to achieve a realistic postpartum belly.

“To achieve a realistic postnatal body, I chose to gain some weight for the role. I took a pix b4 I started gaining weight and the 2nd was my belly a few days before shoot. I’m honoured by your feedback,” the actress revealed.

Adedimeji delivered a compelling act at Gbotija in the recent Yoruba epic Jagun Jagun. He had several fighting scenes in the movie, in which he had to go through fight training, fitness training, dieting and muscle building for the character.

He also revealed lately that he had a broken leg, which he sustained on the very first day of the movie shoot, but went on with the several days of production with it.

In his first few scenes, he had a limp from a gunshot and now we realise that the limp was no act at all and was a result of the broken leg he had.