Just in case you missedmy conversationwith writer-directorRemi Weekesearlier this week, I loveHis House. At the moment, it is one of my favorite films of 2020. I’m very convinced that Weekes has quite the career ahead of him and I feel the same way about his two stars,Wunmi MosakuandṢọpẹ Dìrísù. There’s a good chance you’ve seen some of their work before - perhaps Mosaku in HBO’sLovecraft Countryand Dìrísù inGangs of London- but the level of chemistry and talent on display inHis Houseis especially undeniable.
Dìrísù and Mosaku star as Bol and Rial, a couple from Sudan seeking asylum in the UK. After making the harrowing journey and spending time in a UK detention center, they’re given a ramshackle home in a small English town. While there is some initial hope that they can build a new life there, they soon come to realize that their house is haunted. Trouble is, due to the extremely flawed system, moving is not an option for them.
I had theopportunity to chat withWeekes, Mosaku, and Dìrísù back in January when the film premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. During that conversation, it became abundantly clear that Mosaku and Dìrísù thought mighty highly of each other. WithHis Housenow available to watch on Netflix, I got the chance to reconnect with Mosaku and Dìrísù and just had to ask more about what made the other such a standout scene partner. Here’s what Dìrísù said:
“We were shooting the journey that they take from the detention center to the house. And we were in a mini bus all day, just driving around and there’s this shot of the two characters holding hands. Wunmi was so generous in sharing something that was personal to her about how she met her husband. Just sharing that story - well, I mean, I’ve loved Wunmi for ages so it would be wrong for me to say that I fell in love with her then - but her being that vulnerable with me really helped me sort of connect with her and then Bol connecting with Rial, so it was just about Wunmi being open and generous and sharing her life and being open and free with me and vulnerable with me that I think set us up on an excellent journey for the rest of the shoot.”
Mosaku jumped in to further emphasize Dìrísù’s point and highlight a specific element of that scene:
“I was gonna say the openness and the generosity of spirit. We really bonded as brother and sister on that job, and [that] has continued. You know, laying on someone’s lap is not an easy thing to do when you don’t know a person. It’s just not. And we were able to find that physical vocabulary between us just because we had opened up to each other and shared.”
Check out our full conversation at the top of this article to hear more about Mosaku and Dìrísù’s experience makingHis House. The chat also includes a spoiler section where they share their thoughts on some of the most unforgettable moments of the film.
Wunmi Mosaku and Ṣọpẹ Dìrísù:
