interview by JANA LETONJA

Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù is an internationally acclaimed actor whose work spans film, television, and theater. This fall, he stars in ‘My Father’s Shadow’, Akinola Davies Jr.’s feature debut and the first Nigerian film to premiere at Cannes, where it won the Caméra d’Or Special Mention, a historic milestone for Nigerian cinema. Ṣọpẹ́ will also appear opposite Jude Law in Netflix’s ‘Black Rabbit’, premiering on 18th September, and lead ‘All the Sinners Bleed’ for Netflix, playing the first Black sheriff in a small Virginia county. Known for ‘Gangs of London’, his BAFTA-winning role in ‘His House’, and ‘Slow Horses’, he continues to deliver commanding performances that fuse emotional depth with powerful screen presence.

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‘My Father’s Shadow’ made history at Cannes as the first Nigerian film selected for the festival, and it won the Caméra d’Or Special Mention. What does that moment mean to you personally and professionally?

The presence and success of ‘My Father’s Shadow’ at Cannes was the realization of a dream. It was Rachel Dargavel, one of the producers of the film, who first said to me that we were aiming to premiere it at Cannes, which was exciting and energizing but also super daunting. We actually got the news that we had been selected exactly a year to the date that we wrapped and that made it feel like it was meant to be. For our film the be celebrated on that stage, one of the pinnacles of our industry, meant a lot. The history of Nigerian cinema is vast and deep, and it’s a delight to be able to contribute to it in this way. I love our country deeply and I feel incredibly blessed to able to represent it in this way.

You’re in nearly every frame of the film. How did you prepare for such an emotionally immersive role?

No matter how much I had prepared for the film, I think the heart of Fọlárìn only truly came out in the presence of his boys. Working with Chibuike and Godwin was a completely transformative experience for me. From the moment I met them for our first rehearsal, to the day we wrapped our shoot, we went on such a special journey together. It was their first professional acting job and, like a parent would, it was my joy to support them through that journey, but in their playfulness and curiosity, they nurtured a performance in me that could not have existed without those two boys, as much as I was trying to nurture one in them.

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You also have ‘Black Rabbit’ with Jude Law and ‘All the Sinners Bleed’ coming up. How do you approach shifting between such different genres and characters?

And a few things not yet announced. It feels like a lot, right? Whenever I do start to feel the squeeze, I have my agent’s voice in my head reminding me “This is what you wanted,” because it is. I’ve always aspired to be able to play in different genres and perform as vastly different characters, so it’s really affirming to be able to look back on the projects over the last year alone and see that that’s happening. That said, I think it’s really easy to fall into the trap of being different for the sake of being different, so I always approach each project and character on its own merits. I think the story is always the most important thing and I think I pursue good stories rather than specific genres. It’s just been a blessing that I’ve been exposed to good stories in different genres.

‘All the Sinners Bleed’ explores themes of race, justice, and small-town politics. What drew you to the role of Titus Crown?

Clearly, I’d been living under a rock for the last few years because I seemed to be the only person who hadn’t read the book already. When I found out about the adaptation and the people involved in bringing it to the screen, particularly JR Cole, Amblin and Higher Ground, that made me sit up for sure. I got the opportunity to read JR’s pilot and was so drawn into the work, that I immediately had to go and buy the book so I could read the rest of the story. I was really taken by the atmosphere of S.A. Cosby’s story and became really excited to be a part of bringing that to a wider audience.

Your work spans intense thrillers, period dramas, and action series. How do you choose your next project?

I’m always interested in the story. Does it grip me? Is it something I’d be looking forward to seeing myself? Is there something that I read that makes me feel like “I have to be the one to do that?” I remember reading a script once and it was good and fun, but there was one sequence in it that just set something on fire inside of me. I was so excited to perform that single moment and that made me want to do the whole film. Sometimes it’s as small as that. Other times it might be the opportunity to work with someone I admire or respect, or someone I really enjoy spending time with. Our lives are short, and careers can be even shorter, so it’s really important to have fun while we can and spend that time with people who are important to us.

Looking back at ‘His House’, which earned you BAFTA recognition, what impact did that role have on your career trajectory?

Obviously, recognition during awards season is always useful for celebrating a film or a performance, and we were super blessed that ‘His House’ was recognized that year, but I think the biggest gift of that job was working with Remi and Wunmi. It was my first opportunity to co-lead a film and be on set basically every day. It allowed me to feel more collaborative and in control of the story we were telling together, and it pushed and stretched me in ways I hadn’t been before then. I think it really helped me to grow as an actor and prepare and equip me for other opportunities that have and will come my way.

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You’ve also returned to the stage in acclaimed productions like ‘Rhinoceros’. How does theater inform your work on screen?

I don’t know if it informs my work on screen per se, but it definitely makes me a better actor. Before ‘Rhinoceros’, I hadn’t been on stage for over 5 years. That’s way too long for me. I really treasure and thrive off how alive the theatrical experience is. Sharing space and breath with your audience and getting their reaction to the work immediately, rather than in 1 or 2-year’s time is just brilliant. I also think theatre allows actors to step outside of stereotypes that they might get pigeonholed into on screen. Theatre recruits an audience’s imagination more and there’s a greater suspension of disbelief that gives an opportunity to explore other characters and forms of performance. That said, I don’t know if I’ll bring any of the clowning I learned in ‘Rhinoceros’ to ‘Titus Crown’, for example. One thing I will say though is that the ‘right here, right now’ of theatre requires you to push through, and problem solve in the moment if something goes wrong. You’re not able to stop and start again. That’s actually a really useful skill to have, that can translate to screen work. On more than one occasion during a recent set I was on, I’ve encountered a “mistake’” that led to some really interesting explorations that will definitely make the final cut of the film. If I stopped every time something went wrong, we wouldn’t have that richness. So, maybe the stage is informing my work on screen after all.

Tell us a little bit about yourself, outside of acting. What are the little things in life you enjoy the most?

I recently discovered how much I enjoy walking in nature for hours, climbing and swimming in waterfalls. I will always enjoy playing football and watching Arsenal win, but I’m equally content having a sofa day and binge watching an animé series.

TEAM CREDITS:

talent ṢỌPẸ́ DÌRÍSÙ
photography DAVID REISS
styling JOSH T. ARIMORO
hair and makeup LAKE SANU at A-Frame Agency
tailoring MACY QUINTAS
editor TIMOTEJ LETONJA
editorial director and interview JANA LETONJA

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