Loved by many, the holiday season holds a lot of memories for everyone; the twinkling of Christmas lights, road trips back to the village, the smell of food wafting through the kitchen and reunions between families and friends. It’s no news that Netflix is bringing to our screens the first ever Nigerian Christmas-themed film A…
A perfect fit for Vera, she had not intentionally auditioned for the role at the beginning. In fact, being cast was one of those cases where one door closes and another opens. With a smile that lights up her face, she describes her fondest Christmas memories in detail. “While growing up in Benin city, I remember going to the Neighbour’s house dressed in colourful clothes, making sure we have those bright coloured glasses. Mine was blue, and we’ll share those sharp coloured outfits; go out to the neighbourhood, eat some food and possibly get gifts of money. And that was just the love and togetherness the community feel that I had.
For him, getting cast in A Naija Christmas came as a surprise. “Honestly, when I got the role, I never expected it. It’s not even one of those things you say ‘I knew I was going to get it.’ When I saw the brief, I said I don’t even fit this guy like that, so why would they pick me?” Abayomi, likewise, does not believe in forbidden love and he sees no reason why people should be kept from loving each other except in cases of “incest” or “a love that brews out of unfaithfulness.”
“This is somebody I grew up watching, somebody I admire a lot, and I’ve seen the character she plays. She’s always so energetic, and I’m like, ‘what if her energy would now swallow me?’ So funny enough, seeing her in person, she is so calm and sweet. My heart was beating fast working with her. But she made it really easy for me.”
One theme that recurs throughout the interview is the interesting audition backstory each cast member has and Efa is not left out. Describing his audition as “really really weird,” we might be right to deduce that he was made for his role. “I think I auditioned without ever auditioning,” he reveals.