switching from the King of Boys role to the unexpected Anikulapo -Ade Tiger

Actor Titilope Kuti, better known in Nollywood as Ade Tiger for his work in the Netflix adaptation of King of Boys, has disclosed that he was taken aback by his move from King of Boys, a blockbuster directed by Kemi Adetiba, to Kunle Afolayan’s new Netflix series, “Anikulapo: Rise of the spectre,” where he plays Adigun.

When PUNCH Online questioned the actor on Friday about his experience with the new series, he revealed this in a statement.

The change from his character as a political thug in King of Boys to a local hunter in Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre, as he is affectionately known by both his peers and fans, surprised him beyond belief, according to Ade Tiger.

He declared, “Many of them come on my social media daily to verify if it truly was me in Anikulapo. It was actually a huge shocker, bigger than I imagined.” Every sacrifice made during the filming process was completely worth it.

The entire process of filming lasted for roughly 87 days. I gave the role of Adigun the same amount of dedication as I gave King of Boys, if not more. I was fully committed to the role from the beginning and remained there until the very end. I recall Taiwo Hassan, Ogogo’s response when we shot our first scene together in the palace: “I was worried for you initially, but I see you came ready.”

“There were lots of challenging points but we all stuck together like one family from start to finish, looking after one another. This is what we have to give every time as actors, surrendering ourselves to become different characters just to give the audience an experience. I will do it again anytime called. It’s a life of service.”

Regarding how he got a role in the TV series, he stated, “I did not audition for the role, but I did a reading to assess my local dialect as a hypothesis for the amount of work required and how long it might take. Kunle Afolayan was very intentional with me on this role, he had mentioned it to me three years ago, so when the call came, I was willing to surrender the same level of commitment to building the character and perfect my dialect in reciprocity for the weight of trust invested in me against all odds. Yes, there were those that might have discouraged him, that I won’t be able to pull it off.”

Adigun and Ade Tiger are also two extreme ends of opposite spectrums, nothing similar at all, two completely different types of films, and then there is the Yoruba thing with me speaking ancient dialect and all. “Total shock and disbelief,” he said. “The makeover was incredible (great work from the special effects and make-up team).

“I’m not sure which they find most surprising—I might be surprised by everything combined—but the response I’ve gotten so far has been overwhelmingly positive, and I feel honored to be able to provide the fans with an experience once more.”

Ade Tiger has been making steady progress toward well-deserved stardom ever since he debuted in King of Boys 1 and 2.

The gifted actor rose to fame with the seven-episode Netflix adaptation series King of Boys 2, which was directed by Kemi Adetiba and released in August 2021.

In a 2022 interview with The PUNCH, the actor explained how challenging his role in King of Boys was.

“Very challenging, I must admit this here,” he remarked. One of the hardest parts I have ever played in acting was “Ade Tiger” in The King of Boys, but I am glad I took the chance because of my willingness to take chances and, to be honest, I can’t believe some of the amazing reviews I have been getting since the second season premiered.