Dark October: Actor Chuks Joseph Speaks on Fragility of Remaking What Occurred in Rivers State 10 Years After
- Chuks Joseph, the lead character in the critically acclaimed Netflix movie, Dark October, spoke on his career transition from a med lab scientist to being an actor
- The multitalented creative grew up in a city not far from where the Aluu 4 incident happened, only to become the main cast in a movie that recounts the dreadful incident
- In his conversation with Legit.ng, Chuks disclosed the thorough mental process he underwent to unburden the task bestowed on him
Chucks Joseph is one of the emerging faces in the Nollywood industry, making waves and portraying the beauty of passion through his well-delivered scenes.
After years of rigorous hard work and endless auditions, the microbiology graduate from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, landed himself one of the biggest gigs: being the lead cast of the critically acclaimed movie Dark October, on one of the world’s biggest streaming platforms, Netflix.
Source: Instagram
In a chat with Legit.ng, the enthusiastic actor took us on a quirky ride into his dream career - the mental and delicate side of being a lead character in a movie that documents one of the most tragic events in the history of humanity and mankind.
"The first film I ever did was a "walka-pass" role on the popular TV series Flatmates in 2020," he began.
PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy!
"Then I did another "walka-pass" role on the African magic series Baby Drama. But because I wanted to get into acting properly, I attended the Royal Arts Academy film school in that same year. Immediately I was done, I knew I was ready to act full-time, then I started going for auditions before I got a background role in another African magic series, Riona, where I acted as a warrior.
"A couple of other background performances followed. Then I furthered my skills by getting another training from the Ebony Life Academy. Before then, I had been attending auditions and getting none. Immediately after finishing the film school, I got Dark October."
Landing the role of Tizzy on Dark October
Chuks first saw the call for auditions online but didn’t react until a friend sent him the flyer on WhatsApp, pushing him to attend.
"It was a long and competitive process with three stages, and due to the second wave of COVID-19, a delay came in. But in the end, I did everything to receive a call from the production manager saying that I had been cast in the lead role.
Creating the seamless bond between Tizzy and his friends
According to Chuks, being a good actor comes with the natural talent of working with different people seamlessly. Also, being at the location a week before the production helped the four men build some sort of camaraderie.
"We had to talk to each other and create some sort of friendship before production started. The good thing was that it happened. Naturally, we didn’t have to force the vibe."
Recreating an incident that happened very close to home
For someone who grew up in Aba, a city relatively close to Port Harcourt, and experienced the firsthand shockwave of the ALUU 4 incident, Chuks explained how he was able to deliver the Tizzy role.
"It was a sensitive role that came with a lot of pressure, being a delicate story in Nigerian society. I just knew it had to be done right. So I eased off the anxiety and channelled my emotions born from prior knowledge of the incident."
On his favourite scene in the movie, Chuks mentioned that the flashback of Tizzy and Big L outlining their life dreams and aspirations was very personal to him.
"That is a scene I treasure a lot. I got into a reflective mood to deliver my best shot. I am a dreamer, and being on the project (Dark October) was a dream come true. All it required from me was to live in the moment of realising what was wickedly stolen from those young boys."
A take for the audience
The young actor believes that Dark October is an important movie with life lessons.
"People should take lessons on being at the right place at the right time and knowing the companies that tag along with. And it’s not every time someone is accused of theft that it turns out to be true. Even when the accusation is right, it’s best to leave the consequences or judgement for the authorities to handle; in summary, say no to jungle justice and mob killing."
Criticism behind the movie and Linda Ikeji not getting approval from the affected families
Morally, Chuks accepted that hands are allowed to point at Linda, but from the legal aspect, she has the right to tell societal stories.
"I understand the sentiments surrounding it, but at the same time, I would love for people to see it from the angle of shedding more light on the dreadful event. Through this film, more people became aware of what happened.
"And I feel like their memories have been immortalized. And that people are praying for their souls to find peace. It’s a film, it’s art, so it is allowed to be subjective; all opinions are welcome. At the same time, I want people to understand that the whole world knows about the Aluu4, and their legacy will last for generations as long as this film is out there. I hope people see it from that angle too."
Challenges faced during the production of Dark October
Chuks told Legit.ng that the sequence that led to the deaths of the four men was filmed for five days.
"After the first day, we had to return for other scenes we didn’t do well. Then there was a day when rain fell, and we adjourned for another day to continue with the same lighting from the weather. There were also distractions, and because we were half-naked, some girls were giggly whenever they saw us. But I can’t complain because those were what made the movie come out the way it did."
Thoughts on changing the fate of the Aluu 4 boys
Nobody knows the exact details of what happened that day, and Chuks thinks it was probably the devil’s work and would not want to ask why there was no one in the crowd that could have saved them.
"No one can tell. Maybe there were people in the crowd who wanted to save them, but they were not loud enough to be heard. We can’t just fathom it. The prayers would have been answered if only wisdom had come back to save them by saying he raised a false alarm. It was really a sad incident, and we pray nothing of the sort ever happens again."
Inspiring figures that have influenced Chuks' career
"Outside of Nigeria, I have Leonardo DiCaprio and Christian Bale. In Nigeria, it is Timini Egbosun; he is my guy, and I have always looked up to him, even before I got into the industry; Blossom Chukwujekwu: all the people doing great stuff like Mike Afolarin and Emeka nwagbaraocha.
If acting hadn’t gone as planned
The young, spirited movie star wanted to be a musician, but it happened that the passion he had for acting outweighed the former.
"Music didn’t work because the passion didn’t drive me through enough," he said."
What fans should look forward to and plans for the year
Chuks noted that there are a couple of great projects coming out this year that he got featured in, while he looks forward to starting some influencing gigs.
"The future is bright, and I pray to God for more opportunities because there are definitely things to look out for."
Aluu 4: Parents, family members of deceased fume over movie on Netflix without due consent
The families and parents of the four victims of the gruesome Aluu4 killing have condemned the movie production of "Dark October" by Nigerian blogger, Linda Ikeji, without due consent from those affected by the incident.
A statement signed by Livingstone Wechie, the executive director of The Integrity Friends for Truth and Peace Initiative (TIFPI) - the authorised representative of the Aluu4 families - said Ikeji produced the movie without seeking the consent of the affected families and parents of the unforgettable Aluu 4 victims.
Loyd Toku-Mike, Chiadika Biringa, Ugonna Obuzor and Tekena Elkanah - all students of the University of Port Harcourt were killed by a mob in Aluu community of Rivers state on October 5, 2012.
Source: Legit.ng
