Comic actor Yomi King, popularly known as Opebe, has opened up about a painful on-set experience that taught him to mind his business in the movie industry.
In an interview on Behind the Fame, the actor recounted how a disagreement between two senior colleagues led to him being beaten while filming a movie titled Eku Meji.
“Those sufferings were beyond acting; they were real beatings. That’s what they call acting, you have to do it well and real for people to know it truly happened,” he said.
According to Opebe, the disagreement was between Baba Suwe and Yinka Quadri, two prominent Yoruba actors. He said he supported Baba Suwe during the clash, unaware it would later backfire.
“A sample happened in a year, I won’t say the name of my boss Yinka Quadri, I won’t mention his name. They had a misunderstanding, real, I thought of it – that if I don’t support Baba Suwe, who would I support? … I supported Baba Suwe in fighting Yinka Quadri,” he recalled.
He explained that while shooting Eku Meji, the script required Yinka Quadri to beat him. However, the beating turned out to be real.
“When we got to the set, and it was a beating role… When he replied me, it was a slap and a severe beating. I began to shout, ‘Cut! This isn’t a movie anymore.’ I was angry,” he said.
Opebe added that Yinka Quadri later told him, “In your life, you won’t interfere in people’s fights again.”
“I decided that day that if you abuse each other, it’s none of my business,” he said.
Opebe began acting in 1979 and gained fame through the TV show Erinkeke. He is best known for his comic roles and close relationship with the late Baba Suwe.
