Lateef Adedimeji has established a reputation for his versatility, smoothly transitioning between intense emotional roles, comedic characters, and action-packed performances.
However, his journey to stardom was not accidental.
In a recent interview, Adedimeji revealed that his initial strategy was to be recognized for his ability to cry convincingly in movies.
He explained, “When I set out to carve a niche for myself, I started by crying—I would cry like an idiot. If I was asked to cry for one minute, I would go for two. So, I was intentional about it. At one point, when people couldn’t remember my name, they knew me as ‘the guy who cries in movies.’ When I realized that this was becoming too overwhelming, I decided to switch things up by introducing my Igbo-Yoruba character. I was strategic at every stage.”
He added, “Then came ‘Ayinla,’ where people saw a musical side of me that they hadn’t seen before. Following that was ‘Jagun Jagun,’ where they discovered my strength in action roles. At every turn, I made sure to reinvent myself strategically.”
When asked how he felt about ‘Lisabi’ being one of the most searched movies on Google in 2024, he expressed his excitement: “I am thrilled. The joy comes from creating something that many people appreciate. There is nothing more joyful than that.”
Regarding the significance of filmmakers telling indigenous stories, he remarked, “If we can embrace the heroes of other countries, what happens to our own heroes? There are individuals who fought for our liberation, so why can’t we tell their stories and appreciate them as well?”