"People Called Me a Crying Machine": Lateef Adedimeji Explains Why He Deliberately Cried in Movies
- Nollywood actor Lateef Adedimeji opened up about why he deliberately made crying his signature skill early in his acting career
- Adedimeji said he studied the industry carefully and decided to focus on emotional scenes that other actors were not paying enough attention to
- According to him, his plan worked as audiences began describing him as 'that guy who cries so much in movies' before they even knew his name
Nollywood actor Lateef Adedimeji has pulled back the curtain on the calculated move that helped him carve out a name for himself when he was still trying to break into the Nigerian film industry.
Speaking on The Morayo Show aired on YouTube on July 7, the actor revealed that crying on screen was never accidental, but was a deliberate strategy he developed after realising he needed something uniquely his own to stand out in the competitive industry.
Source: Instagram
Lateef Adedimeji admitted that his entry into Nollywood was far from smooth. Early on, audiences recognised him mostly through his physical resemblance to an established colleague.
"People would say, 'That guy that resembles Odun, Odun's brother,'" he recalled.
While he appreciated the comparison, he knew it was not enough to build a lasting career on someone else's identity.
The research behind Lateef Adedimeji's tears
Rather than simply waiting for bigger roles to come his way, Lateef Adedimeji said he sat down and studied what was missing in the performances around him.
The new father of triplets said he identified emotional expression, particularly on-screen crying, as something actors were not fully exploring, yet audiences responded to deeply.
"What is it that people not paying much attention to that is still important?" he said he asked himself. From that point, even when a script only required him to shed tears briefly, he committed fully to that moment. "If I was given a role where I only had to shed tears for two seconds, I would mount pressure on it and make those come well.
"I learnt that and had to practise it over time because, as an entertainer, you have to be versatile. You have to know a bit about everything."
Source: Instagram
From 'Crying Machine' to household name
The strategy paid off in a way the actor had not quite anticipated. Before viewers could attach a name to his face, they were already describing him to one another as the actor who could cry on cue.
"People started calling me a crying machine. They didn't know my name, but they would say, 'That guy who cries so much in movies' when describing me," he shared.
For Adedimeji, that moment of being identified by a trait, even an unusual one, signalled real progress.
"That was when I knew I was getting somewhere because people were beginning to identify me with something that is of me then eventually, you get to know my name," he said.
Today, Lateef Adedimeji is one of Nollywood's most recognised faces, with his emotional range widely credited as one of the qualities that sets him apart from his peers.
Watch the full video of Lateef Adedimeji speaking on his early career below:
Lateef Adedimeji speaks on triplets journey
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Lateef Adedimeji revealed how he and his wife, Mo Bimpe, endured years of waiting before the unforgettable moment they discovered they were expecting triplets.
During a recent interview, the actor shared how the pregnancy journey reshaped his views on patience, family, and fatherhood, describing the news of triplets as one of the biggest surprises of his life.
He also praised his wife’s strength throughout the pregnancy and delivery, noting that while they now have three boys, she hopes to welcome a daughter someday.
Source: Legit.ng
