Most of movies acts had to undergo remarkable facial transformations to fit into the roles they were hired to play.
Five film stars who experienced some really ‘pulsating’ facial modification would be considered in this write-up.
They include;
Chidi Mokeme as Scar in ‘Shanty Town’
Considered one of the best actors from this clime, Mokeme returned to the movie scenes after being away due to his battle with Bell’s Palsy.
He made an awe-inspiring comeback as Scar in the much-talked about Netflix blockbuster, ‘Shanty Town’.
Mokeme permeated Scar with a potency of terror seeing the drastic bodily transformation he underwent.
He was indeed ‘Scar’ personified with his marked face, discoloured teeth and several large scars on his body depicting wounds from metals and even gunshots.
He dragged the viewers into Scar’s head by putting all his complexities on display; using his body and voice to degrees of exposition, piecing the character together as we watched him, and making acting choices that were not only surprising but also enhanced our understanding of him as Scar.
Kunle Remi as Saro in ‘Anikulakpo’
Kunle Remi, the actor that refers to himself as a screen god, undoubtedly proved that with his acting as Saro in Kunle Afolayan’s award-winning movie, ‘Anikulakpo’.
The full length feature film in Yoruba, where he had to speak Oyo Yoruba (ijile Yoruba which loosely translates as the deep Yoruba) took the actor completely out of his comfort zone as he revealed in an interview.
The story, one of blood, tears and sweat, saw the actor pour out himself exhaustively while portraying the character of Saro, a young man seeking greener pastures in the great Oyo Kingdom.
However, unfolding events and his illicit affair with the king’s wife, Arolake leads to his untimely death and encounter with Akala, a mystical bird believed to give and take life.
Saro, ordinarily had large facial markings like the traditional ancient Yorubas do. Besides that the outcome of his face after he was caught and dealt with by the kingsmen for having carnal knowledge of his wife Arolake was hair-raising.
The facial deformation was indeed petrifying, one best left for a non-viewer’s imagination.
Femi Adebayo as Ogundiji in ‘Jagun Jagun’
Another dramatic transformational character that graced our screens was Femi Adebayo who played Ogundiji (the warrior) in his top-charting movie, ‘Jagun Jagun’.
Jagun Jagun, a creative work of fiction built on war-mongering narratives and set in traditional time and locales has been lauded as an impressive work of art, owing to its good props, conventionally costumed as well as the aesthetic location designs.
Ogundiji, an egotistical character who possessed ancient charms, played by Adebayo Femi, is at the focal point of the tragic plot.
Ogundiji who runs a school of warriors willfully sends soldiers into vulnerable towns to raid them and steal their resources.
To perfectly execute his role as the autocratic warlord, Femi Adebayo underwent some remarkable facial transformations. From the beards to his hair style and overall facial expression.
Also Femi Adebayo as Agesinkole in ‘King of Thieves’
With Femi Adebayo leading a star-studded cast, King of Thieves is an epic film about an invincible bandit, Ageshinkole (Femi Adebayo) who, driven by revenge, exerts a reign of terror on the fictional Kingdom of Ajeromi. All efforts by the citizens of the kingdom to defeat him and end his reign prove to be futile.
In the early 20’s we had actresses like Rita Dominic, Ini Edo and others whose faces were also altered with makeup to fit into their roles.
In “Uchechi the Blind Cripple” from 2014, Ini Edo could not have been more unlike herself.
Ini Edo portrayed the blind Uchechi, a severely deformed teenager who sought comfort in music and her loyal boyfriend, until jealousy destroyed the little family she had left.
Rita Dominic acted in her own film, “The Meeting,” which was released in 2012. Rita found it simple to put on a strong performance as a cantankerous secretary in a federal government ministry with the help of makeup, which was intended to enhance and accentuate her persona.
