Demola Adedoyin, who plays Sir K, talks Brethren: “It’s a cautionary tale”

As Sir K, Demola Adedoyin plays one of the villains on Brethren, a gritty crime thriller that explores the Lagos underworld and how it intersects with the city’s politics and commerce.

Adedoyin, known for villainous roles like Gowon from Knock Out Blessing and Aderopo from Kunle Afolayan’s October 1, sees his character as more tactical and less criminal than his previous villains.

“Sir K is flexible,” he said. “He isn’t extreme like the other guys I have played, Gowon and Aderopo.”

We discussed what attracted him to Sir K and the show.

What attracted you to Brethren?

Well, it is very different from a lot of the things on TV because we rely on comedy and romance films for TV entertainment, but Brethren is more of an action thriller. So the uniqueness is what attracted me to it.

What attracted you to your character Sir K, a fixer and trusted soldier, like Gowon you played in Knock Out Blessing?

I feel like Sir K and Gowon are quite different; Gowon is an assassin, an all-out killer, but Sir K thinks strategically instead of blasting his way through. He is less of a savage. I thought we were going in full beast-mode, but over time it turns out he is a planner and strategic thinker.

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So that drew you to him, the fact that he is not entirely crazy, but someone who thinks?

Yeah, he is forced to [think]. I like that, and he is flexible in that way. He isn’t extreme like the other guys I have played, Gowon and Aderopo.

Why do you seem to get more villainous roles?

That’s not actually true. I played a divine character in God Calling. In You, Me, Maybe, I played a website designer who’s a lovely guy. In The Bridge, I played a prince who is hopelessly in love with someone from another tribe.

It just happens to be a coincidence that in the most prominent projects you see these guys who are difficult and quite obnoxious, but that’s not the only thing that attracts me to roles. I like to take on different characters. So I don’t only play villains. Actors are here to represent humanity across a broad spectrum, not just one part of it.

Do you see any similarities between Sir K and yourself?

Maybe in tactical thinking, because I can be very tactical in real life. There is usually a means to an end for the kind of things I do. I’m not an all-out kind of person. I try to be smart about my decisions and think a few steps down the line.

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Tell us about a memorable day on set.

One of the most memorable days for me was the day we filmed a funeral and almost everybody in production was on set, which is very rare. We all know each other and hang out, but we are hardly ever on set with each other.

So that was a fun and happy day – so many people working on the project were present, and we got to feed off each other’s energy and enjoy ourselves.

Brethren explores brotherhood and the crime in Lagos: what do you want people to pick up from it?

It is a cautionary tale; it asks questions like, would you become a criminal for your family? Bara was a role model in the beginning, but he compromised himself for his family.

[It also teaches Lagosians to] be careful how they move; they should see that there’s an underbelly to the city. We all hear about the corruption and crime going on, but Brethren is just raw in your face.

It is a be-careful tale that’s revealing of how careful you should be; how you should watch your movement. I think that’s one thing you can get from it.