INTERVIEWS

“Funke Akindele is genuinely a mother to me.” — Moshood Fattah

Jul 3, 2023

I never approached an older actor. If you’ve not been introduced or there’s a mutual relationship I’ll like to respect and keep it that way. Except if you mean something special to me. I would walk up to you and introduce myself. Thank you for how you’ve influenced me and I will keep it there. But with her, I grew up watching her through the entire career and you know, coming close I didn’t want to mess things up. I told myself “If she no call me I no dey go close.” One day she saw me and said “O ki mi” (You didn’t greet me). I was like Ma, but I greeted you… That was how she started talking to me but I still felt like I mustn’t mess this opportunity up. I had to be courteous, respectful and well-behaved. She suddenly became this mother on set. She genuinely cared and you could tell that she wasn’t faking it. All these times, I was still hesitant but made me believe that she could see me. I heard she was asking about me and doing her research to know more about me. She called me one morning I said she was shooting a movie and I would be playing her son. I couldn’t believe it. Wow! This is happening. I’m saying this because I do not take it for granted at all. I realize how hard people have to work to get here and I also didn’t play to get to this stage. These things happened because I did the work and when it happened I accepted it. I’m also very grateful for the opportunity because it is for life. Films are forever and we will always be a part of our stories together. It’s really phenomenal to be in the movie that is now screened outside the country.