Day I Almost Punched My Director on Set - RMD Explains

Nollywood actor Richard Mofe-Damijo popularly known as RMD is still celebrating having the biggest movie out of the nation right now, The Black Book, out on Netflix. While celebrating the movie's achievement, RMD used the opportunity to speak more about the director, Editi Effiong, and opened up about the day on set that he RMD almost punched him. Here's what RMD said.

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Recounting the day he almost punched his director Editi Effiong on set, RMD said:

RMD: Editi called me last night to tell me our film has broken records and is setting new ones. I was shocked when I saw #1 in South Korea, #4 globally in 2 days, Top 3 in America!!! Nollywood’s biggest film ever! An Editi Effiong Film!

I have spoken about how much work went into this film, but I don’t think we fully appreciate Editi’s vision and perseverance to make this happen. That man never took his eye off the vision.Not once.Not when Covid shut us down.Not when we went out of budget-he never told me we were out of money until he had put more of his own money to get the project on like nothing happened. If a thing was out of budget, he simply paid out of his pocket.

Nothing could derail this man, Not even me.

Editi cares about all the people he works with,if someone was upset he was there to calm things down. Always.

Then one day it was my turn to be upset. I had issues with the production team which upset me, but that was made worse when this man put me off camera in the prison cell scene. Ade was on camera, but I was not, so why did I have to be there, giving a full performance? Actors are not often required on set if they are not on camera, but this man put me there.

I was upset, but I noticed for once, Editi was not even paying attention to me. Does this man know who I am? A whole RMD.I finished that shot and he said I could rest until I had to be on camera, but at this point, I was fuming and gave it to the crew who had annoyed me earlier. Usually, if Editi heard any commotion, he’d come out. But not this time.

By the time I had to be on camera, I was a raging bull.

Right after we wrap the scene, Editi walks up to me and asks“Sir, do you know why I didn’t try to calm you down?”

Then I almost punched him…we both burst out laughing. I realised in that moment, he didn’t calm me because that the emotion he wanted to see on camera anyway. It was the funniest thing in hindsight, but it showed me how focused this man was. He never lost sight of what the story needed.

We never lost sight of what this film could mean to our industry, to the world. Today, we celebrate.

What do you think about what RMD said and about the method Editi Effiong used to get RMD to that point for the scene? Let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment either below or on my Jide Okonjo Facebook post.

That's All.

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