The Story ⚡
Hosts Paul Utomi and Baaj Adebule of the “Paul & Baaj: In Character” podcast turn the lens on Marvel’s ensemble, assigning Nollywood actors to iconic roles in a recent episode that blends Nigerian cinema’s emotional layers with superhero lore.
Tell Me More
Paul and Baaj explore indie filmmaking while pausing to recast the Avengers with Nollywood talent, selecting performers whose past roles echo the heroes’ defining traits. These choices draw parallels to the original actors’ journeys, adapting them to narratives steeped in cultural resilience and interpersonal drama.
For Hulk, they choose Frank Donga, whose portrayal of an everyman pushed to his limits in the web series The Interview mirrors Mark Ruffalo’s Banner—a reserved intellect unraveling into raw power. Donga’s blend of dry humor and escalating intensity in social media sketches suggests a Hulk whose transformations stem from bottled frustrations, much like everyday strains in a bustling city.
Captain America goes to Efa Iwara or Tope Tedela. Iwara’s grounded heroism in The Set Up, where he embodies quiet defiance amid corruption, aligns with Chris Evans’ portrayal of a steadfast idealist. Tedela, with his measured poise in Dumebi Comes Home as a family man facing hidden threats, adds a layer of communal duty, evoking Rogers’ shield as a symbol of collective protection rather than solitary valor.
Black Widow is cast as Omowunmi Dada, whose investigative edge in Oloture—slipping through dangers with calculated empathy—recalls Scarlett Johansson’s Romanoff, a survivor whose skills mask deeper wounds. Dada’s versatile turns, from historical depth in Elesin Oba to contemporary tension, position her as a Widow whose espionage draws from real-world shadows, turning alliances into intricate webs of trust.
Loki finds form in Mr Macaroni (Debo Adedayo), whose YouTube skits full of sly twists and persona shifts parallel Tom Hiddleston’s cunning prince. From satirical takes on social norms to activist undertones, Macaroni’s deceptive charm would render the trickster’s schemes as clever navigations of societal facades, with illusions as sharp as streetwise retorts.
Thor is envisioned as Bolanle Ninalowo or Sambasa Nzeribe. Ninalowo’s brooding strength in action roles like Fate of Alakada echoes Chris Hemsworth’s arc from brash god to humble leader, infusing the role with a warrior’s reflective honor. Nzeribe, through his commanding presence in The Black Book, brings a mythic weight, likening Mjolnir’s heft to ancestral blades in tales of endurance.
Iron Man suits Jim Iyke, Ramsey Nouah, or Richard Mofe-Damijo. Iyke’s charismatic rogues in American Driver capture Robert Downey Jr.’s witty inventor, layering tech bravado with personal reckoning. Nouah’s elegant ambiguity in The Figurine offers a Stark whose genius grapples with fate’s pull, while Mofe-Damijo’s authoritative warmth in 76 grounds the billionaire’s ego in seasoned insight, much like a mentor navigating legacy.
In Summary
Who would you select for these roles, or suggest for others like Hawkeye or Scarlet Witch?
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