Lilian Afegbai and William Benson have offered rare insights into their transformative performances in Kemi Adetiba’s latest mini-series, To Kill A Monkey, which premiered globally on Netflix on July 18.
Speaking during a recent interview on Arise TV, the Nollywood stars praised Adetiba’s unique directorial style, describing her as an “actor’s director” who pushes her cast to discover the depths of their roles while allowing space for creative freedom.
For Afegbai, working with such a visionary director and alongside accomplished actors like William Benson and Bucci Franklin; meant there was no room for mediocrity.
“To be fair, we had an actor’s director, not a regular director,” she said. “She directed my mind, asked for my opinion on scenes, encouraged conversations, and gave me room to explore the character.”
Afegbai, who is known for her versatility on screen, said she even added personalised elements like slang to her character, based on Kemi’s guidance, all in a bid to match the energy of her co-stars.
“I knew it was a huge project, with William Benson and Bucci Franklin whom I see as beasts, so I knew they would stand out, and I wanted to as well. That’s why I brought my A-game.”
Benson: “She Will Push You to Your Limit”
William Benson also spoke about the emotional rigour involved in his performance, crediting Adetiba’s exacting standards as the catalyst behind some of the most intense moments on set.
“Truth be told, Kemi is an actor’s director. She gets into your mind, and if she wants something from you, she will take you to that breaking point,” Benson said.
According to him, the emotional breakthroughs came after several takes, with frustration giving way to raw, unfiltered emotion that matched the demands of the role.
“When you start having retakes, at some point you get frustrated, and that’s when the actual character comes out,” he explained. “She knows how to squeeze the juice out of an actor, no matter what. Of all the directors I’ve worked with, she’s the only one who has brought me closest to what the character should be.”
Benson added that working under Adetiba was a mix of discipline and freedom; a balance that enabled him to dive deep into character and deliver a performance grounded in truth.
“It’s beautiful to have someone who manages you but also gives you the freedom to get into your headspace and deliver quality. Kemi doesn’t know anything beneath excellence; she wants it, and she will get it.”
Afegbai: “I Was Nervous on Set with Kemi”
Despite being thoroughly prepared for the role, Lilian Afegbai confessed to being anxious on her first day filming under Kemi Adetiba’s direction. She attributed her early composure on set to rehearsals done with fellow actress Stella Damasus prior to the production.
“As much as I was extremely prepared for my role, my first day on set with Kemi Adetiba, I was anxious, nervous because I had never worked with her,” she revealed.
To ensure strong on-screen chemistry, Afegbai said she reached out to Damasus and spent time rehearsing lines at her house before shooting began.
“Prior to the production, I had reached out to Stella Damasus to rehearse lines. I went to her house so we already had the chemistry before the production.”
Kemi Adetiba’s To Kill A Monkey is being hailed as one of the most ambitious Nigerian limited series to debut on Netflix, combining sharp cinematography, layered characters, and high-octane storytelling. The series explores deep societal themes, with a cast that includes some of Nollywood’s finest talents.
Both Afegbai and Benson’s comments shed light on the growing demand for performance-driven content in Nigeria’s film industry and underline how top-tier directors like Adetiba are reshaping the creative process to elevate storytelling standards.
