How Real Beatings on Movie Sets Shaped My Acting Career

Image: Google

Veteran Yoruba comic actor Yomi King, popularly known as Opebe, has opened up about some of his early struggles in Nollywood, revealing that many of the beatings he received while filming were not part of the script but real.

Speaking in a recent interview on Behind The Fame Podcast on YouTube, the actor recalled that several of his on-set experiences went far beyond acting, as he endured physical pain in the name of performance. According to Opebe, the realism in Yoruba movies back then often came with serious physical impact, especially when working with older actors who insisted on authenticity.

“Those sufferings were beyond acting; they were real beatings,” he said in Yoruba, translated to English. “That’s what they call acting — you have to do it well and real for people to know it truly happened. Baba Suwe doesn’t mind. Anyone that knows him well knows he will beat you directly; ask the director.”

Opebe recounted one particular incident involving his late colleague Baba Suwe and veteran actor Yinka Quadri, which turned serious during the production of the Yoruba movie Eku Meji. He revealed that what was meant to be a fictional fight scene turned into a real-life confrontation because of a past misunderstanding.

“A sample happened in a year, I won’t say the name of my boss Yinka Quadri, I won’t mention his name,” he began, humorously attempting to disguise the name even as he revealed it. “They had a misunderstanding, real, I thought of it — that if I don’t support Baba Suwe, who would I support? Is it a stranger? I supported Baba Suwe in fighting Yinka Quadri.

“If he passed, I would neglect him because we were all together in Lagos. He’s like a big brother to me in Lagos. We all grew up in Lagos, do you understand? He’s a big brother. I began to support Baba Suwe.”

The actor explained that their disagreement carried over into a movie set when they were both cast to play opposing roles. “Baba Suwe had a job — PM used to call actors. We wanted to do a movie called Eku Meji and we would shoot it at Meiran. Meiran was like a village, Meiran at Ijaiye — it wasn’t civilized then,” he recalled.

“That movie Eku Meji, I had a role with Yinka where he ought to fight me and beat me. And you know that Opebe is lame. And I and Yinka didn’t talk to each other. But when we got to the set, and it was a beating role, I had abused him earlier. When he replied me, it was a slap and a severe beating. I began to shout, ‘Cut! This isn’t a movie anymore.’ I was angry.”

According to Opebe, he soon realized that the aggression was not part of the acting but a reflection of their real-life dispute. “He laughed and said, ‘In your life, you won’t interfere in people’s fights again.’ The person I supported — Baba Suwe — was laughing at me,” he recalled.

That moment, Opebe said, taught him a lasting lesson about minding his business, especially when colleagues were at odds. “That day, I said to myself, ‘If you abuse each other, it’s none of my business.’ Since then, I know my boundaries.”

Reflecting on those early experiences, Opebe noted that while the industry has evolved, many of the old-school actors believed in physical authenticity to deliver believable scenes. For him, the pains, real beatings, and tough experiences shaped his growth and discipline as an actor.

The comic star, who is widely known for his unique gait and humorous roles, added that enduring such moments on set helped him develop resilience and respect for the craft. Despite the challenges he faced, Opebe said he remains grateful for those experiences that molded his acting career and taught him to stay clear of unnecessary disputes both on and off set.

Watch him speak below…

Baba Opebe reveals how actor Yinka Quadri allegedly beât him up on set while trying to support Baba Suwe when his fighting Yinka Quadri. pic.twitter.com/ZcmL99Ewep

— NAIJAHOUSEOFGIST (@9jahouseofgist) October 7, 2025