If you’ve watched the first episode of our Zikoko Life Series Production, What’s Left of Us, then you’ve already met a few of our favourites, Aliu and Mariam, in action. Well, maybe Aliyu isn’t quite a favourite.
However, if you haven’t seen it, what are you waiting for? Head over to our YouTube channel first, then come back to find out what inspired Tolu Asanu to take on the role of Mariam.
We listened to Asanu talk about her acting career and what the journey has been like so far: auditioning, networking, and taking on roles that have done her good. And, everything she felt for the characters in What’s Left of Us.
We’ve summed it up into five things that helped her embody the role of Mariam.
1. Drive and Ambition
Acting wasn’t always part of the plan for Tolu, so when she decided to pivot and change things, a lot of people were surprised at the unlikely direction. But for Tolu, the choice seemed non-negotiable. It was like acting was something she was made and born to do. She’d always had the talent and flair for it, being able to mimic people and take on roles she wasn’t familiar with. But like all things, there was no easy landing. Auditioning for roles and putting herself out there as much as she did wasn’t something she anticipated, but found necessary.
Luckily for her, she had legends like Joke Silva guiding and pushing her in the right direction. But one conversation, one successfully completed acting course and a role on The Johnson’s created opportunities and more. What’s Left of Us is just another essential layer of Tolu’s multilayered cake.
“I usually watched actors with so much admiration and interest, and I was in the drama group in my church. I didn’t even know they did things like auditions; I just believed that if you worked hard, you’d get what you want. But it’s not necessarily the right orientation to have; you need to network. No one is an island in the industry.” –Tolu Asanu
2. The Message in What’s Left of Us
Her first thought after reading the script of What’s Left of Us was how powerful the final product could be, especially if everything went according to plan. For Tolu, the fact that the film seemed to be driving home a message was important to her. Especially how it might spoil the market for men. Part of it is also how northern women would respond to it. Seeing that it’s possible to break free from relationships that undermine them.
For Tolu, it’s important that women see that there’s more to life than sitting at home to cook, clean, and make yourself presentable for your husband. ‘How do you live if you keep doing the same thing over and over again?’. There are certain cultural and social norms she believes people are scared to challenge and question. For Tolu, What’s Left of Us is doing just that.
“Me, that I’m talking to you now, there are certain topics that I get scared to speak about or roles that I worry about playing. I’ll think about what people will do and say if I say or do something. A lot of people can’t break free from cycles because they’re scared of what people will say.” –Tolu Asanu.
Also Read: Why Some Women Who Own Homes Don’t Want to Get Married
3. Mariam’s Character
Some of us might worry that Mariam’s doggedness and determination are too idealistic for the average Nigerian woman to emulate. But Tolu thinks otherwise. The starting point for her is loving yourself enough to do something, and contrary to popular opinion, Tolu believes the driving force for complacency is laziness and not fear. That’s one of the things she loved about Mariam, how she knew that she was the only one who could save herself. Her determination to leave and not beg Aliu when he sent her out of the house in the middle of the night. Mariam also didn’t hide under the guise of staying because of her children.
The fact that Mariam was doing something different and standing on business was important to Tolu. Drive and ambition are something both Tolu and Mariam seem to have in common. We’d call it the common ground and merging factor in how they become one. Mariam’s character made her want to do more than just perform.
‘A lot of women say they’re going back because of their children, and I don’t think all of them are telling the truth. I think they’re scared of what will happen if they leave. They need to know that if they take the bull by the horns and try to do something for themselves, they’ll be able to give their children better lives.’ –Tolu Asanu.
4. The Opportunity to be Part of Something Big
Everyone gets cold feet before doing something big or small, and Tolu is not exempt from that. She had doubts and feelings of apprehension and enthusiasm at the same time. But every time she read the story, Mariam moved Tolu in ways that made her want to take action.
What’s Left of Us felt like a story that was going to spark conversations and social and cultural content, and Tolu knew she needed to be bold enough to take the plunge. Even in the process of bringing the story to life, her focus was on making sure she delivered at full capacity. Even if it meant running one scene ten times. The picture for her was big, and the anticipated impact of the work was clear.
‘I’m happy I didn’t let all those thoughts take control of my head and affect my actions. I did what I had to do, and did it well, at least to the best of my knowledge. I even consider myself honoured to have been cast for the role.’ –Tolu Asanu
5. The Team
Beyond her stellar performance, Tolu owes the success of the film to the people she worked with. There was a lot of collaboration between her and her co-star, Caleb Richards, which not only made the delivery of her role easy but seamless.
The support she received from the directors, Olamide Adio, Victor Daniels and the showrunner, Blessing Uzzi, in moments of uncertainty. How solid, decisive, and intentional the pre-production team was. Working with a team that knew what they were doing also helped her know what she was doing. Everyone’s heart was in it, and hers wouldn’t be left out.
‘I really liked Blessing and the directors. They knew what they wanted each frame to look like. Everyone did their homework, and the entire team made input whenever and wherever it was necessary. I like productions like that, where everyone knows what they’re doing and pays attention to detail.’ -Tolu Asanu
Click this link to see the result of Tolu’s driving forces and how they impact her character.
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