Veteran Nollywood actress Joke Silva will play the role of Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti in much anticipated Bolanle Austen-Peters directed biopic with working title ‘Funmilayo: The Lioness of Lisabi’.
The news was revealed by Bolanle Austen-Peters who noted in a post on social media that Joke Silva will play the lead role as Kuti alongside Kehinde Bankole, Omowunmi Dada, Ibrahim Suleiman, Patrick Diabuah, Shawn Faqua and some of the Kuti children and grandchildren in the forthcoming biopic.
Bolanle Austen-Peters who confirmed the cast of the biopic in a post on Instagram shared a video featuring members of the Kuti family and Silva in what appears to be a film set.
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“So we started and made history today. We wanted to create a legacy project so we went for authentic stuff,” Peters wrote on Instagram.
“How can it get more authentic than having the true blood of Funmilayo Ransome Kuti in the room. Funmilayo had four children. Dolupo, Olikoye, Olufela ala “Fela” and Bekolari. They were all represented by their children and niece for Dolupo. The head of the Ransome Kuti family was there; Mr Dotun Ransome Kuti (the son of Olikoye playing his Dad, Olikoye; the first child of Fela was there too, Yeni playing her Aunt Dolupo and Fela’s son too, Kunle was there playing Fela, his Father.
“They came to pay homage but they did more. Loading FRK the movie. Thanks to the estate of Funmilayo who entrusted me with the story and access to family archives. This story will inspire many of us,” she added.
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