I was body-bagged while filming ‘93 Days’ – Keppy Ekpenyong Bassey

Weekend Magazine: When you were offered a role in the Ebola outbreak thriller ‘93 Days’, as patient zero Patrick Sawyer, what was the first thought you had? Keppy Ekpenyong Bassey: The initial response was that of excitement. I did realize there was quite a jostle for the role and after the auditions in Lagos, the […]

Weekend Magazine: When you were offered a role in the Ebola outbreak thriller ‘93 Days’, as patient zero Patrick Sawyer, what was the first thought you had?

Keppy Ekpenyong Bassey: The initial response was that of excitement. I did realize there was quite a jostle for the role and after the auditions in Lagos, the call confirming my participation got to me in Abuja where I was negotiating another project.

WM: What level of preparation did it take for you to fit into that role, basically that of a villain? 

Bassey: As traditional with the producers of the movie, every actor had a profile to fit into. Some books and movies were also recommended. I was introduced to a language coach, as becoming Patrick Sawyer meant I had to appreciate every side he presented. I researched his wife and two lovely daughters, and finally appreciated his reason for denial.

WM: How into the role were you, and did it make you uncomfortable?

Bassey: I wasn’t uncomfortable at any point playing Sawyer. In fact, I was daring enough to undertake several processes like being body-bagged. You know, Sawyer, after his demise, was double-bagged. I was sweating in less than 10 seconds. I had adrenaline pumping so much, I couldn’t have been dead. It took approximately two hours to have my make-up done every time we had to shoot with me being symptomatic. Then as Sawyer after he died, I had to be on the floor, on my back, for over an hour. It was invigorating, and I had a blast playing the part. 

WM: American movie legend Danny Glover is in ‘93 Days’ too. How was he as a colleague, and a person?

Bassey: It was great meeting Danny Glover, but I never got to work with him as for the most parts, the character of Sawyer was quarantined. Very few medical personnel were allowed access to him. Tina Mba and Bimbo Akintola both had a closer working relationship with him. Off set, however, Danny [Glover] was as Nigerian as could be. Plus a great guy!

WM: Your decades-long career remains scandal-free. How were you able to achieve that? 

Bassey: ‘Scandal-free’ is relative (laughter). I’m who I am, I guess. I try to stay happy always. As a matter of fact, my new year resolution is being and staying happy. I started that off on my first stage play this year, ‘Love and Recession’, directed by Mrs. Ifeoma Fafunwa, where my last line was ‘have a wonderful New Year!’

WM: You’ve starred in TV series that remain in the minds of many Nigerians today, such as ‘Ripples’, ‘Jaded Options’, ‘Doctors Quarters’, and many others. What do you miss about the way things used to be done, before there ever was a movie industry called Nollywood?

Bassey: The old industry? (Laughter) That’s a strange way of putting it. Early practitioners embraced each other as family. They shared in each other’s emotions and that inspired warmth on set. I’d say competition was as friendly as it was collaborative. Camaraderie was the hallmark. I mean, what do we usually say at the end of most of our movies? ‘To God be the Glory’. There you go.

WM: At what point in your life did you decide to make a career out of acting?

Bassey: That must’ve been when a few friends of the family criticized my participation in movies. My parents, when they found out, supported me. I guess I inordinately upheld that trust they bestowed on my choice.

WM: Because of your star power, you have served on the jury of talent hunts such as ‘Ambo House’ and ‘The Creative Academy’. Is there anything in particular these outings have opened your eyes to?

Bassey: Being a part of them is inspiring. I see potential easily, and I’m humane enough to be polite about passing on such messages. My last outing as Chief Judge on ‘Next Movie Star’ buttressed the fact that talent literally litters the streets in Nigeria. The shows have opened up my eyes on what’s most obvious being the passion most participants exhibit. It used to be soccer in Nigeria, but times have changed.

WM: You’ve been married for over twenty years. How have you been able to balance family and career?

Bassey: My primary and prevailing support comes from my family. My immediate constituency, my jury, my critic panel, you name it. They always say to me ‘you can’ especially when I say ‘I’m tired’.

WM: What career path would you have taken if you hadn’t become an actor?

Bassey: I badly wanted to be a medical doctor. But I guess that desire has since been achieved, as a character in movies, severally.